18th-century miniature by Piat-Joseph Sauvage

Dating from the late 18th century and associated with the Directoire style, this miniature brings together oval and circular compositions depicting a profile in the antique manner and allegorical subjects, characteristic of the work of Piat-Joseph Sauvage (1744-1818). The Tournai-born painter, who trained at the Royal Academy in Antwerp and later worked for King Louis XVI and the court of the Austrian Netherlands, distinguished himself through his mastery of trompe-l'œil. The painted elements are arranged under glass against a red velvet ground, set within a circular Bakelite case measuring 11 cm in diameter and 3 cm in height.