Portrait Bust of M. de Neuville, Captain of Artillery and Comptroller General

The subject of this bust, Monsieur de Neuville (1701-1780), served as captain of artillery and a fermier général (general tax collector), one of a select group of men who collected taxes for the French monarchy. Jean Galliard de la Bouëxière, the original owner of the Grand Salon, was also a fermier général from 1722 to 1758. The sculptor, Jean-Jacques Caffieri, was born in Paris and studied there before winning a prestigious art scholarship in 1748. The scholarship paid for him to live and study in Rome for four years before returning to Paris. He is best known for his lively and naturalistic portraits of influential Parisians.