Louis-Philippe-Joseph, Duke of Orleans 'Philippe Egalité' (1747-1793) (after Sir Joshua Reynolds)

In this intimate portrait, Louis-Philippe-Joseph, Duke of Orleans, known as Philippe Egalité, gazes out with a direct, almost challenging expression. The painting, an oil on panel, captures a man at the cusp of immense historical change, dressed in what appears to be contemporary attire rather than grand ceremonial robes. His powdered wig and the subtle sheen on his fabric suggest a person of status, yet the overall impression is one of approachable intensity. This work, created in 1785, is a copy after a renowned portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds, a common practice at the time for disseminating images of important figures. Samuel Drummond, who painted this version, was a British artist who began his career as a sailor before training at the Royal Academy Schools, eventually exhibiting hundreds of portraits.