Portrait du duc de Richelieu

Thomas Lawrence's Portrait du Duc de Richelieu of around 1822 depicts a member of the illustrious Richelieu family — descendants of the great Cardinal's relations — who served as Prime Minister of France during the Restoration. Richelieu had spent the Revolutionary and Napoleonic years in Russian service, and his return to France made him a key figure in the reconciliation between the returning Bourbon dynasty and the post-Revolutionary French state. Lawrence's portrait connected his British practice to the Continental European diplomatic world he was increasingly serving.

Lawrence renders the French statesman with the international polish appropriate to a man who had served both Russian and French governments at the highest levels. The composed expression and formal treatment reflect diplomatic gravitas, while the warm coloring gives life to what may be a posthumous likeness.