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OSENAT

137 - EARLY 18TH-CENTURY FRENCH SCHOOL (c. 1710)
See original version (French)

Estimate €600 - €800
Sale commission
Description
EARLY 18TH-CENTURY FRENCH SCHOOL (c. 1710) Madonna and Child with Saints (Holy Conversation) Oil on canvas 127 x 123 cm. (restorations and damage) Note: The painting depicts the Virgin and Child with saints, framed at the top by four winged cherub heads. On the right, Saint Anthony of Padua, wearing the Franciscan habit of the Cordeliers, holds out a white fleur-de-lis to the Child. In his left hand, he holds a city, probably Besançon given the family’s history. This prominent position within the city, placed beneath Christ, places Besançon under divine protection and asserts the power of the donor family. The saint on the left is probably Saint Francis of Assisi, wearing the habit and hooded cloak. The two Franciscans are flanked in the background by two unidentified bearded saints. Next to the coat of arms, an open book contains a Latin text referring to Saint Anthony of Padua (‘Frater Antonius’). The painting features a coat of arms in its lower section, crowned with laurel leaves. This coat of arms, registered by Charles d’Hozier on 11 March 1701 for Nicolas Étienne Simon, is listed in the Armorial de Franche-Comté (published in 1911 by the Gauthier brothers): ‘Azure, a fess Or charged in the centre with a star Gules accompanied by a crescent between two stars Argent, and in the base a rose Or’. Nicolas Étienne Simon, a royal adviser, was appointed President of the Parliament of Besançon in 1712. The Simon family maintained close ties with the Order of the Cordeliers and had alliances with regional noble families such as the Portier d’Aiglepierre. This is reflected in our painting, which is influenced by 17th-century Spanish art. This is because the region had come under the authority of the kings of Spain in 1556, before returning to French rule in 1678 with the Treaty of Nijmegen signed by Louis XIV. This history is reflected in our painting, which blends Spanish and regional French art. Given this history and its large format, this painting was probably donated by the Simon family to the Bernardine convent in Orgelet, which had been linked to the family since its foundation in 1652 – the same year that François Simon took up his post in the town. Condition report: Original canvas comprising two joined panels (mounted on a later frame?). Evidence of restoration and repainting (visible under UV light)
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale FURNITURE AND WORKS OF ART
Auction location
Auction time 06/27/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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