c. 1753 Jean Daullé “Monsieur de Nestier” Equestrian Engraving

A beautifully detailed mid-18th-century French equestrian portrait engraved by Jean Daullé (1703–1763) after a 1751 painting by Philibert Benoît de La Rue (1718–1780). The print depicts Louis Cazeaux de Nestier (1686–1754) on horseback in an open landscape, dressed in the formal attire of the French royal stables. Nestier served as an écuyer of the Grande Écurie du Roi, the prestigious royal stable establishment attached to the French court. Contemporary and later records associate him with the upper ranks of Louis XV's equestrian household. 

Daullé was an accomplished French engraver and Graveur du Roi, and the extraordinary fineness here is especially evident in the horse's coat, the sitter's embroidered dress, tack, foliage, and atmospheric landscape. Beyond its decorative appeal, Monsieur de Nestier is a documented and collected work within Jean Daullé’s engraved oeuvre. The composition is recorded in the catalogue raisonné of Daullé’s work and examples are preserved in French institutional collections, including the Château de Versailles and the Cabinet des Estampes et des Dessins in Strasbourg. The engraving also appears periodically at auction, reflecting continued interest among collectors of 18th-century French prints, equestrian art and material relating to the royal court of Louis XV.

The subject further distinguishes the work. Louis Cazeaux de Nestier (1686–1754) was an accomplished écuyer associated with Louis XV’s Grande Écurie and became known for his mastery of the French school of horsemanship. Daullé’s 1753 engraving therefore sits at the intersection of French royal history, classical horsemanship and 18th-century printmaking, giving it significance beyond that of a purely decorative equestrian image.

Origin: France, c. 1753
Material: Engraving on paper; later framed under glass
Dimensions: 30.25" L x 25.25" W
Condition: Excellent antique condition with expected age-related toning and subtle discoloration to the paper. Presented in a later black and gilt frame with wide matting under glass.  Please reference all photographs for condition.