Double portrait of Duke of Berry and Count of Provence as children.

The Duke of Berry and the Count of Provence, grandsons of Louis XV, are depicted together as children in this 1757 double portrait at the Museum of John Paul II Collection. The two princes—future Louis XVI and future Louis XVIII—were regularly portrayed together during their childhood, their joint images serving dynastic purposes by displaying the royal succession. Drouais became the principal painter of the royal children. Drouais was among the most successful portraitists of pre-Revolutionary France, working in the tradition of his father Hubert Drouais and studying under Carle van Loo, Natoire, and Boucher before establishing himself at court.

The two princes are arranged in a composition that balances their equal dynastic status while distinguishing their individual characters. Drouais renders the children"s features with the naturalistic charm of his best child portraits, while their expensive costumes receive the detailed treatment expected of royal commissions. The palette is bright and youthful, with the matching or coordinating outfits of the two brothers creating decorative harmony.