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Workshop of Simon Vouet (1590-1649)
The Virgin in the Landsc…
See original version (French)
1
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Workshop of Simon Vouet (1590-1649)
The Virgin in the Landsc…
See original version (French)
Estimate €3,000 - €5,000
Voluntary lot
Description
Workshop of Simon Vouet (1590-1649)
The Virgin in the Landscape
Oil on canvas
In the catalogue of the exhibition devoted to Vouet in 1990, Jacques Thuillier devoted several pages to the Vierges à mi-corps produced in Simon Vouet's studio (Vouet, cat. exp., Paris, Galeries nationales du Grand Palais, 1990-1991, pp. 294-298). He points out that the motif of the Virgin and Child was a response to growing devotion in the 17th century and had a strong spiritual dimension. For Vouet, these representations evoke the mystery of the Incarnation and invite us to meditate on the intercession of Mary and the humility of Jesus, central themes of the French school of spirituality. However, these paintings were also very popular with art lovers and even atheists of the time, as they offered a pleasing aesthetic that was not devoid of sensuality. To meet this strong demand in Paris and the provinces, the production of these Virgins was immense and highly hierarchical within Simon Vouet's studio. Very few original paintings have survived, but there are countless painted copies. Vouet's inventory after his death in 1639 confirms this workshop practice: alongside highly-prized originals, there were numerous copies on canvas or on less-prized wood, attesting to a production adapted to different budgets. Around 1637-1638, Vouet began to organise the distribution of his work. Twelve of his Virgins were engraved, including La Vierge au paysage, the model for our painting, engraved by Michel Lasne in 1638. The dates on which these prints were published, stretching back to 1661, bear witness to the enduring popularity and success of these compositions. The success of these models was such that they were copied in Paris and abroad, and even used in the minor arts. Today, the study and authentication of these Virgins pose great difficulties for art historians, and their history is complex to trace, as they were rarely described with any precision in old auction catalogues. However, the quality of our painting and the addition by the painter of the antique column in the background suggest that it is a work from Simon Vouet's workshop.
See original version (French)
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Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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