First unfinished version, by Pio Ignazio Vittoriano Campana, of the famous miniature portrait of Marie-Thérèse-Louise de Savoie-Carignan, Princess de Lamballe (1749-1792), present in the Louvre's collections (RF 30673).

Campana was one of the favorit miniaturists of Queen Marie-Antoinette and her circle of acquaintances. We said of him that he use to asked only few minutes of pause to his prestigious customers.

With this rare unfinished miniature, we understand better the process of the famous miniaturist. Campana made, in the presence of his model, a fast sketch with watercolor on a square leaf of ivory. Then, in studio, began a long methodical work for costumes and hair (made one by one with a scraper). Then the work was presented to the customer and if the dress and the pause suited, the master ended lastly the face. The sheet of ivory was lastly cut by the tabletier, in the dimension of the chosen frame or snuff box.

Here, the Princess should asked for modifications and the miniature remained unfinished : her face is still in the state of sketch, the rest of the work is carefully ended but the sheet of ivory is not cut yet.

 In the definitive version of the Louvre museum, the belt was modified,  also the bouquet of blouse and the background (a garden instead of a room ). Her armchair was, at the same time, replaced by a garden chair.

Are kept exactly similar :  the same movement, with a  particular swinging arm; the same hairstyle and the same dress in the strictly identical folds. The face is ended and the ivory cut in its definitive shape .