A Queen's Picture

In 1647, the enormous painting with its lavish
fire-gilded copper cornice – along with the copy by
Giovanni Francesco Romanelli produced just after
the painting was completed – was finally delivered
to Henrietta Maria in Paris. Following the religious
wars that in 1649 would lead to the beheading of
Charles I, the Queen had taken refuge in France,
where Cardinal Barberini was also temporarily
exiled in 1646 after the death of Urban VIII.
The unfortunate Queen was soon forced to sell
the magnificent work to Michel Particelli d'Emery,
superintendent of finances of the Kingdom of
France. Upon his death, his widow tragically
outraged by the nudity of Reni’s painting, had it
cut to pieces by her servants. 6
6 André Felibien, Entretiens sur le vies et sur les ouvrages des plus excellens peintres anciens et modernes (edition Trevoux), vol.
III, Paris, 1725, p. 510.