Lot 15: Circle of Jean Paul Hubert (Swiss, 1732-1803) Louis XVI (1754-1793), King of France (1774-1792), wearing white coat embroidered with gold, tied white lace cravat, his powdered wig worn en queue

Louis XVI (1754-1793), King of France (1774-1792), wearing white coat embroidered with gold, tied white lace cravat, his powdered wig worn en queue.
Enamel, gold frame with split pearl border, the reverse with brooch pin attachment.
Oval, 28mm (1 1/8in) high

Louis XVI was raised at the court of his grandfather, Louis XV. In 1770, he married the Austrian archduchess, who became known as Marie Antoinette.

By the time Louis succeeded to the throne in 1774, France was facing widespread criticism of the inequalities which existed between rich and poor. Within a short period of time, much of the king's power was transferred to elected representatives of the people and the storming of the Bastille in July of that year represented a direct assault on his royal authority.

In October, an angry mob marched on Versailles and the king and queen were forced to leave the palace and take up residence in Paris. Many members of the aristocracy had fled France and there was widespread paranoia that they were conspiring with foreign armies to quell the masses and restore the crown. In the summer of 1791, Louis and his family attempted to leave the country, but the royal party was apprehended by government troops at the town of Varennes. In the wake of this debacle, the remnants of the king's prestige evaporated. Imprisoned first at the Tuileries, and then at the Temple, he was stripped of his title and France was declared a republic. The National Convention then placed him on trial, where he faced was convicted by an overwhelming majority. The radical left insisted on his immediate execution whilst the more moderate representatives favoured exile or imprisonment. After some deliberation, a death sentence was passed and Louis was guillotined in front of huge crowds on 21 January, 1793.