Ami Lullin (1695-1756), théologien genevois

Painted around 1720 and held by the Geneva Library, this portrait of Ami Lullin—a Genevan Protestant theologian—represents Largillière's reach into the Reformed Protestant world of the Swiss Confederation, a very different cultural environment from his usual French Catholic clientele. Lullin was professor of theology at the Geneva Academy and rector of that institution, making him a figure of considerable intellectual authority in the Calvinist world. That a French Catholic court painter should be chosen for such a commission suggests that Largillière's reputation transcended confessional boundaries. The Geneva Library's holding of this portrait reflects the institution's historical connection to its most distinguished alumni and faculty. Genevan Reformed portraiture had its own conventions—less ornate than French Catholic court portraiture, more sober in colour and manner—and it is interesting to consider how Largillière adapted his approach for this different context.

A Genevan theologian's portrait would have required Largillière to moderate the opulence of his usual approach: the rich reds, elaborate lace, and sumptuous fabrics of French aristocratic sitters would have been replaced by darker, more sober clerical attire. The compositional arrangement—three-quarter pose, book or attribute of learning—remained constant, but the colour palette and degree of ornamental detail would have been reduced.