LONDON.- A previously unpublished portrait of the great French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) is set to be unveiled at Art-Design-Antiques Chelsea Fair from 17 - 20 March.

Bagshawe Fine Art, the London dealers, have for sale a hitherto
unknown picture that depicts Rousseau, seated at his desk, still in his prime at about 50 years of age. This portrait originates from the family of the Rousseau descendants and its appearance at the Chelsea fair marks the first time it has been on the market correctly presented. This portrait passed to cousins of Rousseau’s towards the end of the 18th century and descended in that branch of the family through the 19th century. In the early 20th century the last remaining member of that Rousseau line married into an Italian family and it is their descendants who sold it.

Seeing it appear at auction in an unloved state and unattributed, Nicholas Bagshawe and his wife the art historian Kendall Bagshawe had a hunch that it had once been a fine thing and rather than some generic portrait of the philosopher was probably a commissioned work from a high quality French professional artist. Research eventually led them to believe that it is the work of the French painter Francois Guerin (working 1751-1791), and after lengthy and careful conservation work, this hunch was confirmed with the emergence of Guerin’s signature on the canvas.

Said Nicholas Bagshawe: ‘This picture is really a highly appealing portrait of the great man. To date the best known and most widely distributed image of Rousseau to has been the head and shoulders of him by the pastellist Quentin de la Tour. However, even Diderot, Rousseau’s contemporary, regarded that pastel as a somewhat bland and romanticized image.

‘This is a much more intimate and human portrayal of the writer and marks a significant addition to the known iconography of the philosopher. We’re not yet sure how this picture came to be painted, but both Rousseau and Guerin moved at one time in the circle of Louis XV’s mistress Madame de Pompadour and it may be there that the connection was made. We’re delighted to be bringing it to the Chelsea Fair, where it will be the very first time it has been on the market correctly attributed and presented.’

Rousseau was actually Swiss by birth (Geneva), although his reputation as a writer makes him a son of France. His influence however can be found in almost every trace of modern philosophy today. He was one of the first modern writers to make a serious attack on the institution of private property, and therefore is considered a forebear of modern socialism and communism. Rousseau also questioned the assumption that the will of the majority is always correct. He argued that the goal of government should be to secure freedom, equality, and justice for all within the state, regardless of the will of the majority. He regularly found himself at odds with his fellow philosophers and fell out of favour with the Ancien Regime in France to the point where he had to seek exile abroad on more than one occasion. History though has accorded him a permanent place as one of the great thinkers of the Enlightenment.

Guerin’s painting of Rousseau is an oil on canvas measuring 30 x 24 inches (76cms x 61cms) and will be on offer from Bagshawe Fine Art at £65,000.

Francois Guerin is one of the great Old World Master painters of Europe. His paintings are displayed in the Louvre Museum in Paris including a portrait of Madame de Pompadour and one of Madame de Pompadour and her daughter, Alexandrine.