Luise Friederike, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, née Duchess of Württemberg-Stuttgart (1722-1791), small bust length, wearing a lace bonnet, wig and earrings - a sketch

The present lot is to be regarded as a study for the shaped wooden garden decoration depicting the court dwarf Hartwig Kremer, holding a painting of his mistress, of 1776, in the Staatliches Museum Schwerin (Georg David Matthieu - 1737-1778 - Malerei.Pastelle.Grafik, exhibition catalogue, Staatliches Museum Schwerin, 1978, p.37, no53, ill.). Pendant portraits of the sitter with her husband of 1766 by the same artist are in the Castle Schwerin (E. & J. Borchardt, Mecklenburgs Herzöge, Ahnengalerie Schloss Schwerin, 1991, pp.102/3, ill). For information on the artist see the note to lot 19.

The sitter, daughter of Friedrich Ludwig, Duke of Württemberg-Stuttgart, married Friedrich der Fromme of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1717-1785) on 2 March 1746 (see lot 14).

See colour illustration