Lot 261: Jean-François de Sompsois (active Saint Petersburg and France, circa 1755-circa 1797) Portrait of a lady, half-length,

Portrait of a lady, half-length, in a green and blue dress, seated on a table holding a book
signed and dated 'de Sompsois 1791' (on table, centre left)
pastel on paper
59.5 x 43.5cm (23 7/16 x 17 1/8in).

Sompsois, the son of a Swiss mercenary, was mainly active as a miniaturist and split his life between Paris and Saint Petersburg, where he worked for Catherine II and Tsar Paul I. According to literature, Sompsois combined his artistic activities with those of a secret agent, as reported by Valentin Pikul in his historical novels.