Charles Louis Müller (1815-1892) Portrait... - Lot 40 - Daguerre

Charles Louis Müller (1815-1892) Portrait of Princess Grégoire Ghika Oil on canvas, signed CL Müller lower left. Damage. 82 x 62 cm Princess Grégoire Ghika was born Henriette Aurélie Soubiran in Caen on March 27, 1820 and died in Lectoure (Gers) on March 21, 1904. On November 23, 1849, she married Prince Grigore Ghika, one of the sons of the Wallachian hospodar Grigore IV Ghica. The Ghika family was one of Europe's greatest princes, ruling Moldavia and Wallachia for two centuries, from 1659 until 1859, when the two principalities merged to form the "Old Kingdom" of Romania. A pupil of two renowned masters of neo-classical and pre-romantic painting, Antoine-Jean Gros and Léon Cogniet, Charles Müller established himself as a versatile talent, as a history painter, genre painter, portraitist and decorator. Introduced to the Salon as early as 1834, he exhibited there until his death, winning several awards, including a 3rd class medal at the 1838 Salon, a 2nd class medal at the 1846 Salon, and two 1st class medals in 1848 and 18552. He also enjoyed strong institutional recognition. He was appointed inspector of works of art at the Manufacture des Gobelins. Elected a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1864, Charles Müller sat on the admission committees for the 1878 Universal Exhibition in Paris. Awarded the Légion d'honneur in 1849, he was made an officer of the same order in 1859.