The Count was a larger than life figure who was a close friend (some say lover) of Marie-Antoinette’s best friend the Duchess of Polignac. He was known for his conversational skills and was regarded as the best actor in Paris. At the Petit Trianon he played the starring role in Barber of Seville with Marie-Antoinette. In spite of a 17 year age difference, he formed a close relationship with Louis XVI’s younger brother, the Comte d’Artois, with whom he shared many interests.
*The image above is a Drouais portrait of the Comte de Vaudreuil when he was 18. The portrait is at the National Gallery in London.
