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Art, Home_____ Col. Tarleton_ Da Vinci_____ Lady of Shalott Madame______ Mrs. Siddons__ |
One of the first pictures to arrest my attention in the National Gallery was this picture of Monsieur de Norvins (1811-12). I could not help but notice his resemblence to Mr. Darcy, the hero of Jane Austen's novel, Pride and Prejudice. This does, I think, prove the "theory" of the Darcy family's emmigration from France in the early 1700's, and the anglicising their name from D'Arcy to Darcy. Apparently, the D'Arcy genes are very strong. :~D
This portrait was painted by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. Jacques Marquet de Montbreton de Norvins (1769-1854) had a varied career as a government official, soldier and diplomat. He also published a history of Napoleon. At the time the picture is said to have been painted he was Chief of Police in the Napoleonic government in Rome. His residence in the city is referred to here by the bronze bust of the Roman goddess Athena in the background, which is now in the Vatican, Museo Chiarimonti in Rome. |