King of France and Navarre
One of the finest of the very numerous portraits of Louis XV kept in Versailles.
Acceding to the throne in 1715, Louis XV came to be known as “le Bien-Aimé” (the Beloved). In 1722 he moved the Court and the seat of government back to the Palace of Versailles, which had been abandoned after the death of Louis XIV. In 1725 he married Marie Leszczyńska, who would bear him an heir. Louis XV was a passionate student of science, especially botany, and did much to enrich the Palace’s gardens. He also commissioned the construction of the Petit Trianon for his mistress, Madame de Pompadour.
Full title : Louis XV, king of France and Navarre (1710-1774)