Henri Camille, Chevalier de Beringhen

The sitter of this portrait is Henri Camille, chevalier de Beringhen (1693-1770), a member of an aristocratic family originally from the duchy of Cleves who from the time of Henri IV served in various capacities in the armies and royal households of France. Henri Camille was Jean-Baptiste Oudry's most influential backer at court. Through his good offices Oudry was introduced to the young Louis XV; he can thus be credited with launching the artist's career as official painter to the royal hunts.

Oudry portrays the twenty-nine-year-old Beringhen as the perfect French gentleman, engaged in the most aristocratic of recreational activities - hunting. In the history of French painting, the picture has a precedent in Alexandre-François Desportes's Self-Portrait as a Huntsman.