Five miniatures , mounted in the original tableau (which was of us never opened), depicting the family members (first and second matrimony) of Count Marie-Gabriel-Florent-Auguste de Choiseul-Gouffier (1752-1817), one of the important personalities in the history of France as also of Russia in the time on the turn to 19th century, the French ambassador in the Ottonan Empire(in Constantinople), renown collector and sholar of ancient Greece, author of famous "Voyage pittoresque de la Grece", one of active members of two French academies: Academie des Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres and Academie Francaise, the President and Director of Russian Royal Academy of Fine Arts and All-russian Royal Libraries (1792-1800), Private-councellor of Russian Empress Catharine II and her son Emperor Paul I. Furthermore Count de Choiseul-Gouffier was the forefather of celebrated Russian religionsphilosopher Nikolaj Berdjajew (1874-1948). On-line biography of Count e Choiseul-Gouffier see in Wikipedia under follower link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie-Gabriel-Florent-Auguste_de_Choiseul-Gouffier

Detailled history of Count´s life in Russia and his genealogical connection with Nikolaj Berdyaew see in the article "Forfathers of Nikolaj Berdyaev" by Klaus Bambauer (in German) under follower link:

http://www.borisogleb.de/ahnen1.html

All this five miniatures , as we think, have extrem great importance for historical research about personality of Count de Choiseul-Gouffier, because the all other images of family members (except image of count ) were lost in the French history .We identificated the sitters on miniatures:

I -II.First minitature as also the second minature were painted by unknown French artist ca. 1816-1820s (oil on metall) and depicting portraits(during lifetime) of the Count de Choiseul-Gouffier (1752-1817) and his wife (second matrimony) Hélène de Beauffremont (died 1836). On the reverse of the tableau there are old inscriptions in french about the sitters(see photos No.4 and 8). By the first portrait : "Marie Gabriel C(on)te de Choiseul-Gouffier, ambassadeur a Constantinople sous L.(Louis)XVI, auteur du Voyage pittoresque en Grece. Soucolur(?)est depose dans une urne St.Louis d´Anti..", what means in English : Marie Gabriel Count de Choiseul-Gouffier, ambassador in Constantinople under Louis XVI, the author of "Voyage pittoresque en Grece". ..(and further unclearly to translate).By the second portrait : "Helene P... de Beauffremont, seconde femme du Conte de Choiseul-Gouffier, ambassadeur.(in english: Helene.. de Beauffremont, second wife of Count de Choiseul-Gouffier, ambassador).

III. Third miniature - painted in the last quarter of 18th century and due to the age of miniature , the dress of the sitter and our logical assumption, depicting very probably the portrait of his first wife Adelaïde Marie de Gouffier d’Ailly ( married 1771, birth year unknown - died 1817) , this portrait have not any reverse inscription in comparison with other miniatures).

IV. The fourth miniature ( left down) was painted ca. 1830s -1840s by very famous and high listed French miniature painter Daniel Saint (1789-1847) , it is signed by the artist and painted in gouache on ivory. The miniature depicting Duchess of Sauly - Bavannes, born Choiseul-Gouffier, daughter of the Count de Choiseul-Gouffier and his first wife Adelaide Marie Louise de Gouffrier. The original old French inscription with the name of sitter situated on the back of tableau (see photo No.18 ).

V. The fifth miniature (right down) was painted in the first quater of 19th century and depicting her son , young duke Roger de Sauly - Bavannes. Here is english translation of the french original inscription about the sitter: "Roger de Sauly-Bavannes ,..dermer(?) duke of his name, son of Duchess, born Choiseul-Gouffier and grand uncle of Contesse de Brocas, born G.de Barthillemy d´ Hastel".

The author of miniature No.4 "Portrait of Duchess of Sauly - Bavannes, dauther of Count de Choiseul-Gouffier" famous French miniature artist Daniel Saint (1778 Saint_Lö - 1847) studied by Isabey, Regnaults, Augustin and Aubry. Court painter by Napoleon , one of the best miniature portrait painters of his time.

Works by him situated in museums : Louvre, Paris (M-me E.Jullien,nee Beauvalet; Ludwig Philipp); Rome, Museo napoleonico(portrait of Charlotte and Zenaide Bonaparte) ; museum in Vire.

Literature: Benezit "Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs"; Thieme/Becker "Allgemeines Lexikon der bildenden Künstler.."; on-line articles about Count de Choiseul-Gouffier : from Wikipedia and "Forfathers of Nikolaj Berdyaev (in German).

Inscription: miniature No. 4 signed "Saint" lower right, four miniatures of five inscribed with the names of sitters (on the back of tableau) .

Technique: miniatures No. 1 and 2 : each oil on metall; miniatures No. 3 -5 : each gouache on ivory. Each miniature framed in original period bronze frame, together mounted in wooden tableau.

Measurements: total of tableau: w 11 3/4" x h 15" (30 x 38 cm); images (unframed) of miniatures No.1-2 : each w 2 3/4" x h 3 1/2" (7 x 9 cm); minature No. 3 : image (unframed): diameter 6,5 cm; minature No. 4: w 3 3/8" x h 4" (8,5 x 10 cm); miniature No. 5: w 3 1/8" x h 3 7/8" (8 x 9,5 cm).

Condition: all miniatures are in very good condition, only by miniature No. 3 - small abrasion in the middle right, ca. 1 cm long (see photo).