3-002-817 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Miniature Portrait of César François Cassini de Thury, c1750. Nattier was regarded as one of the foremost portrait painters at the court of Louis XV (reigned 1715-1774). He occasionally turned to miniature painting, as demonstrated by this likeness of Cassini de Thury (1714-1784), a distinguished astronomer and director of the Paris Observatory, shown seated at his desk taking a pinch of snuff from a gold box.