"Claude Alexandre de Bonneval" ("Achmet Pacha") (1675-1747)
Miniature. Watercolour and gouache on ivory 7.4 x 5.5 cm. Marked "Bonnevall" on the reverse. Executed in 1741.
Compare with Liotard's pastel of the same subject in the Duke of Rutland collection, Belvoir Castle, Grantham, cat. no. 83 in Rœthlisberger & Loche, 2008, as well as the mirrored drawing in the Louvre collection RF 1387, under the same number.
Swedish private collection.
Marcel Rœthlisberger & Renée Loche, "Liotard", 2008, cat no 84, illustrated fig 116. ("Comte De Bonneval, known as Achmet Pacha", 1741)
Claude Alexandre de Bonneval (1675–1747), also known as Achmet Pasha, was a French military officer and adventurer who had a career in several different countries during his lifetime. He was born in France and initially served as an officer in the French army under Louis XIV. However, after conflicts with his superiors, he left the country and instead entered the service of Austria, where he participated in wars against the Ottoman Empire.
After further conflicts, Bonneval was forced to leave the Austrian army as well. He then fled to the Ottoman Empire, where he converted to Islam and took the name Achmet Pasha. There, he played an important role as a military advisor and worked on modernising the army, particularly in the artillery. He contributed to the introduction of European methods and training in the Ottoman military.
Achmet Pasha became an influential figure in attempts to strengthen the military capacity of the Ottoman Empire during the 18th century. His life illustrates how an individual could navigate between different cultures and power systems during this period and gain significant influence in more than one country.
Jean Étienne Liotard travelled to Constantinople in 1738. In 1741, he painted the portrait of Bonneval, which is also described in his autobiography: "il y fit aussi le portrait du Comte de Bonneval appelé en Turquie Acmet Pacha."
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CITES certificate included for this lot