This “Portrait of Achille Deban de Laborde” painted by Alexandre-Jean Dubois-Drahonet in 1817 constitutes a poignant testimony to imperial nostalgia under the Restoration.
The artist represents with meticulous precision this eight-year-old boy dressed in a miniature hussar uniform, a faithful replica of the one worn by his father, Baron Jean-Baptiste Deban de Laborde, a Napoleonic hero who died in combat. This theatrical staging transforms the child into a guardian of paternal memory: ceremonial saber, Legion of Honor, and military decorations compose a veritable family memorial. Dubois-Drahonet’s polished technique, heir to David’s School, magnifies the golden embroidery against a scarlet background and the patent leather of the boots, creating an effect of martial sumptuousness. This work perfectly illustrates the art of portraiture under the Restoration, oscillating between apparent political conformism and secret fidelity to imperial values. Young Achille, future cavalry colonel, embodies here the dynastic transmission of military virtues.
Further information
- Alexandre-Jean Dubois-Drahonet, Portrait of Achille Deban de Laborde, 1817, oil on canvas. Clark Art Institute, acquired by the Clark, 2017.2
- 172.9 × 123.2 × 10.2 cm (68 1/16 × 48 1/2 × 4 in.)
- https://www.clarkart.edu/ArtPiece/Detail/Portrait-of-Achille-Deban-de-Laborde
Alexandre-Jean Dubois-Drahonet (1791-1834) belongs to the generation of painters trained under the Empire and forced to adapt to the political upheavals of the Restoration. A student of Jacques-Louis David, he inherited the neoclassical tradition while developing a personal style marked by descriptive minutiae characteristic of post-revolutionary bourgeois portraiture. Specializing in genre painting and portraiture, Dubois-Drahonet excelled in the representation of costumes and accessories, bearing witness to a society in transformation seeking to preserve its references. His works reflect the tensions of his era, as illustrated by this portrait of Achille Deban de Laborde.
