This historical portrait shows the Colonel wearing the distinctive headgear of an officer of the dragons, with the brass neo-Grecian style helmet with black horsehair and imitation leopard skin. In the background are a line of military tents with a fort set against a hill in the distance. Although the identity of the artist is unknown the sitter in the portrait is well recorded. Jean Louis David Treasure Bactot was a general of the French Revolution, he was born on the 25 August 1744 in St-Louet-sur-Lozon (Manche.) He entered military service in 1756 in the cavalry, then into the Gendarmerie France. He became lieutenant-colonel in 1786, and was appointed colonel commanding the regiment of Lorraine dragons on the 10 March 1788. He was promoted to brigadier general on 1st February 1792, and emigrated in the same year to join the army of princes, where he became aide to the Marquis de Vaudreuil. In 1794, he is located in the island of Jersey, where he commanded a division, which landed in Normandy near Granville in August 1795 to support the shipping of Quiberon. Following the defeat of the Royalists in Brittany, landing ultimately did not take place. He retired in 1817, with the rank of Lieutenant General and died at the age of 71 on 22 October of 1817 in Feugères (Manche.)
