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FRENCH SCHOOL, c. 1680–1700, after Charles LEBRUN (1619–1690…
See original version (French)
56
-
FRENCH SCHOOL, c. 1680–1700, after Charles LEBRUN (1619–1690…
See original version (French)
Estimate €6,000 - €8,000
Voluntary lot
Description
FRENCH SCHOOL, c. 1680–1700, after Charles LEBRUN (1619–1690)
The Tent of Darius or The Queens of Persia at the Feet of Alexander
Oil on re-stretched canvas
63 x 92 cm
(Previous restorations)
Note.
This painting depicts one of the most famous episodes of antiquity, as recounted by Quintus Curtius Rufus. In the aftermath of the Battle of Issus (333 BC), the victorious Alexander the Great enters the tent of the Persian royal family, which had been abandoned by King Darius III as he fled. Alexander is accompanied by his favourite, Hephaestion. Sisygambis, Darius’s mother, deceived by Hephaestion’s rich finery, prostrates herself before him. Realising her mistake, she fears the victor’s wrath. It is then that Alexander kindly helps her to her feet, uttering these historic words: ‘You have not been mistaken, my mother, for he too is Alexander.’
This composition is based on the work by Charles Le Brun, painted in 1660–1661 for King Louis XIV, and now housed at the Palace of Versailles. The painting is an allegory of Louis XIV’s clemency and virtue, embodied in the figure of Alexander.
Le Brun’s work was so successful that it immediately became the paragon of great history painting. It was widely circulated throughout Europe via engravings, notably those by Gérard Edelinck, and copied by the finest workshops.
Our painting is part of this legacy. It bears witness to collectors’ enthusiasm for the great episodes of Alexander’s epic, a metaphor for the splendour of the Sun King.
It is also worth noting that Le Brun’s masterpiece served as the model for the famous tapestry series *The History of Alexander*, woven at the Royal Gobelins Manufactory, of which Le Brun was the Director.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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