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pair of marble figures of a woman and a manan image of a statue of two women standing next to each otherstatue of a woman and a child sitting on the groundstatue of a woman holding a bunch of grapes in her right handmarble bust of a woman with a veil on her heada close up of a statue of a woman with a crown on her headtwo statues of a woman and a man sitting on a benchan image of a statue of a woman with a flower in her handan antique statue of a woman holding a flower in her right handmarble bust of a woman with her hair in a bunt
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48 - Claude Perreau (or Perrault) (–1678) Allegories of the Four …
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Estimate €40,000 - €60,000
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Description
Claude Perreau (or Perrault) (–1678) Allegories of the Four Seasons: Spring and Summer; Autumn and Winter Pair of marble sculptural groups Restorations and the heads of Autumn and Winter have been reattached; damage and wear Signed “CLAUDIUS PERREAU PARISIENSIS F.” on the edge of the plinth Good overall condition H. 130 cm; W. 78 cm; W. 43 cm Related literature Paola Rossi, “‘Claudius Perreau Parisinus’ in Venice”, in *Arte Veneta, Rivista di Storia dall’Arte*, no. 43, pp. 92–97 Bibliography Jules Guiffrey, *Comptes des bâtiments du Roi sous le règne de Louis XIV*. Volume 1, Colbert, 1664–1680, Paris, Guyffrey ed., 1881, pp. 832; 903; 964; 973; 1049 for Claude Perreau and pp. 1049; 1161; 1289 for the Perreau widow This pair of entwined allegorical figures—one representing Spring and Summer, holding a bouquet of roses and a sheaf of wheat respectively, the other representing Autumn and Winter—bears the signature ‘Opus Claudius Perreau Parisini’. This signature and the overall style of the work allow us to link these allegorical figures to a body of work by the sculptor Claude Perreau. Amongst this body of work, the earliest known piece attributed to this artist is the funerary monument to René de Voyer d’Argenson (1623–1700) in the Church of San Giobbe in Venice, signed CLAUDIUS PERREAU PARIGINUS FACIEBAT. The location of this early work in Italy helps to explain the stylistic influences behind these allegories: those of a French artist trained in Rome who went on to work in Venice and later in Versailles. Although he has been somewhat forgotten over time, Claude Perreau nevertheless appears to have been a renowned and respected sculptor in his own day. The works identified as his are few in number, but they all demonstrate consummate technical mastery in the treatment of drapery and a style drawing on both the Italian Baroque manner and French Classicism. His ten-year stay in Venice, between 1653 and 1663, provides us with a body of work on which to base our attribution. They have all been identified by the artist’s specialist, Paola Rossi, through stylistic comparisons, whilst also taking into account Perreau’s signatures and correspondence. These works bear witness to the success of this sculptor, who was invited by the Voyer d’Argenson family to Venice, where he worked on prestigious projects, notably on the decoration of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute under the direction of the architect Baldassare Longhena. Among these works, particular mention must be made of the two high-relief angels signed ‘Claudius Pierreau Parisinus’ adorning the arch above the altar dedicated to Saint Anthony in the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute; the four allegorical bas-reliefs representing Clemency, Hidden Faith, Humility and Manifest Faith, preserved in the same basilica; and, finally, the figure of Saint John the Baptist adorning the altar dedicated to Saint Lorenzo Giustiniani in the church of San Pietro di Castello. What stands out in these sculptures is a stylistic evolution from the Baroque style observed and studied in Rome towards the Classicism inspired by antiquity, as practised by Perreau’s contemporary sculptors. Among them is Nicolas Cordier, whose works reinterpret ancient art and bear strong similarities to the art of Perreau. The figures are rendered in a classical style, with powerful modelling and rounded forms; the faces are depicted in a rigorous profile without dramatic expression. Both artists sculpt figures characterised by precision and classical balance. The evolution of Perreau’s art towards greater classicism is, moreover, evident in the works from his Venetian period. The pyramidal altar by Voyer d’Argenson, created between 1653 and 1655, still reflects Bernini’s influence in the execution of the putto and the two lions. In 1656, the two angels in Longhena’s basilica were already moving towards greater classicism in the modelling of the flesh and the profiles; only the billowing drapery still echoed Roman Baroque art. The four allegorical figures – Clemency, Hidden Faith, Modesty and Manifest Faith – created for this same basilica already hint at a greater sense of calm in their poses and drapery. Finally, towards the end of his time in Venice, the figure of Saint John the Baptist in the church of San Pietro di Castello appears to be the culmination of this journey towards classical sculpture. Both Saint John the Baptist and our Seasons clearly reflect a more serene style of art, with a harmonious, skilfully studied composition, devoid of Baroque exuberance. There is no emphasis in the drapery, yet it serves to enhance the gestures of these female figures, whose movement of the arms effectively conveys an overall impression of gentleness and restraint. Whilst the heads of Autumn and Winter are separate pieces, the faces of Spring and Summer—which have been preserved (with the exception of the noses?)—are still reminiscent of those of the angels at Santa Maria della Salute. The eyelids stretch towards the temples and lie flush with the face; the cheeks are full and the chin quite pronounced. The stylised hairstyles, gathered into a bun above the ears, also echo the hairstyles of the two angels. Finally, the treatment of the drapery is typical of the effects sought found in sculptures signed or attributed to Claude Perreau. The artist alternates, on the bodies of the aforementioned figures, fabrics that lie flush against the skin on the stomach or thighs, thanks to folds rendered with finesse. These contrast with areas where the fabric becomes thicker and more deeply carved to create a more three-dimensional effect, lending dynamism to the overall appearance. As in the allegories of Hidden Faith or Clemency, the drapery here flows down to the ground and delicately covers the feet. The impression conveyed is one of great fluidity, of drapery flowing slowly along the bodies, held in place by a slender fastening on the shoulder (as in the painting of Saint John the Baptist), providing a pretext for these skilful variations in the treatment of the fabrics. Our four Seasons therefore likely form part of this evolution towards a classical style. The slight contrapposto, the treatment of the drapery, the classical rigour of the profiles, and the measured gestures allow us to date these works to the end of or just after Perreau’s stay in Venice, from the mid-1660s onwards. Our Four Seasons are closer to Italian than French iconography for this theme. In 1643, Ripa established the representation of the Four Seasons in his work *Iconologia*: they are four female figures, whereas in the model defined by Le Brun in 1673, Autumn and Winter are male figures. The decorative popularity of the Four Seasons took hold as early as the Renaissance, and commissions multiplied with the development of large-scale garden projects. This theme was particularly favoured for outdoor settings, where the sculptures brought the spaces to life. For the visitor, these sculptures mark the gentle path through the garden and enhance the stroll. As early as the beginning of the 17th century, Leone Strozzi commissioned the young Gian Lorenzo Bernini to create four allegorical figures of the Seasons to adorn the gardens of his Roman villa. We might envisage a similar purpose for our Allegories and thus imagine the context in which they were created. The artist’s career has yet to be fully established by art history. However, our work could represent an important milestone between his success in Venice—a prosperous period for the artist—and the less prestigious commissions that Perreau received at Versailles in the 1670s and up until his death in Paris in 1678 (see Guiffrey, 1881). Indeed, the accounts of the King’s Building Department mention Perreau’s name only in connection with simple repairs to fountain figures in the gardens of Versailles. The signatures inscribed on the plinths, which specify his origin as ‘Parisinus’, indicate that the works were carved in Italy. Thus, the signature, the stylistic qualities, the iconographic choices and the large scale of these allegorical figures suggest a prestigious commission in line with his success in Venice.
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Auction time 07/08/2026 at 3:00 PM
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