Loading

Charles de Saint-Albin, Archbishop of Cambrai (In frame)

Hyacinthe Rigaud

The J. Paul Getty Museum

The J. Paul Getty Museum
Los Angeles, United States

The Archbishop of Cambrai, Charles de Saint-Albin, was the illegitimate son of Philippe, duc d'Orléans, and a dancer at the opera. Although his father never recognized him officially, he smoothed his son's swift advance in the Church hierarchy and aided his appointment to the archbishopric of Cambrai. In the year of his appointment, the archbishop commissioned this portrait from Hyacinthe Rigaud, the most accomplished and flattering portraitist at the court of Louis XIV.

Shown in his robes of office, Saint-Albin balances a book on his knee and presses his left hand to his chest, a gesture suggesting his spirituality. Rigaud masterfully displayed the different textures of his shimmering satin robe and the exquisitely patterned lace of the garment worn underneath. A soft ermine cape is painted so realistically that the viewer can see the indentations left by Saint-Albin's fingers as they press against the fur.

Show lessRead more
  • Title: Charles de Saint-Albin, Archbishop of Cambrai (In frame)
  • Creator: Hyacinthe Rigaud
  • Date Created: 1723
  • Location Created: France
  • Physical Dimensions: 146.1 × 113 cm (57 1/2 × 44 1/2 in.)
  • Type: Painting
  • External Link: Find out more about this object on the Museum website.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Terms of Use: Open Content
  • Number: 88.PA.136
  • Culture: French
  • Credit Line: The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
  • Creator Display Name: Hyacinthe Rigaud (French, 1659 - 1743)
  • Classification: Paintings (Visual Works)
The J. Paul Getty Museum

Additional Items

Get the app

Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more

Home
Discover
Play
Nearby
Favorites