COLLECTION DE TABLEAUX DU DUC DE RICHELIEU. Autograph... Lot 387

[COLLECTION DE TABLEAUX DU DUC DE RICHELIEU]. Autograph signed by Jacques TESTU, abbé de BELVAL (1626-1706), preacher, translator and chaplain to the King, elected to the Académie française (1655). Also signed by "DE NESMOND" and "LENAIN". ½ p. in-4. Paris, March 10, 1676. Mottling. Conciliation project concerning the Duc de Richelieu's collection of paintings. [Nephew of the Cardinal, he squandered his fortune and ended his life riddled with debt. In 1665, in a game of paume against Louis XIV, he lost 25 paintings from his collection, including 13 by Poussin]. The document is written by Abbé Testu, who was a close friend of the Duc de Richelieu. "On the difficulty of discussing the paintings, it was deemed appropriate to agree, in order to resolve it amicably, that after the transaction drawn up had been signed, Mr. le Duc de Richelieu and Mrs. les exécuteurs testamentaires would appoint arbitrators to make a sovereign decision on the difficulty, to which decision all parties would agree. A Paris ce 10 mars 1676". Three signatures follow. "L'abbé Testu", "De Nesmond" "Lenain".