Galerie Dreyfus
39
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FRANÇOIS HABERT (active in France between 1643 and 1652)
Vas…
See original version (French)
39
-
FRANÇOIS HABERT (active in France between 1643 and 1652)
Vas…
See original version (French)
Estimate €30,000 - €38,000
Voluntary lot
Description
FRANÇOIS HABERT
(active in France between 1643 and 1652)
Vase of Flowers and Basket of Fruit
c. 1650
Oil on canvas
60 x 40 cm
In a riot of vivid colours and an abundance of eye-catching details, these flowers and
fruits vie for supremacy in terms of abundance, brilliance and appetising appeal. Painted with
meticulous care that conveys both the delicacy of the tones and the quality of the materials, these
two compositions each display their finest features: a small round Chinese porcelain vase
or a large basket of woven rushes. The floral refinement is counterbalanced by the rustic fruit arrangement,
on the same stone table, partially covered by a tablecloth. The plain black background precludes
any contextualisation and compels the eye to focus solely on these gifts of nature, which
are presented on an altar in a harmonious yet improbable coexistence. Whilst grapes,
peaches and plums do indeed come from a single autumnal harvest, the flowers,
on the other hand, are gathered at various times, in spring as well as summer. The realism
of the depiction of the materials does not here correspond to the reality of the calendar. For each element
encodes a symbolic aspect, detached from any sense of time. Temporal consistency
gives way to spiritual logic. As was customary in this 17th century torn by
religious controversies, still lifes take on the role of vanitas. The sacred permeates these
perishable goods which, having become spiritual nourishment, evoke the passing of time as much
as the blessings of the Creator.
François Habert was a still-life painter active in Paris between 1643 and 1652. Probably
originally from Flanders, as suggested by his early works, which bear a strong
Dutch and Flemish influence, he is thought to have trained in Antwerp in the studio of Jan Davidsz de Heem
(1606–1684) before settling in Paris. The scale of his output is evidenced by
the abundant number of paintings—the vast majority of which are signed and dated—that have survived to
the present day. Mentioned for the first time in the inventory of Philippe de Champaigne (1602–1674), ‘A
Garland of Flowers by Monsieur Habert’, acquired for the considerable sum at the time of 100
livres, he appears a second time in the inventory of paintings belonging to Charles Tardif, secretary to
Marshal de Boufflers, with a still life of flowers (cf. M. Faré, *Le grand siècle de la nature morte*
en France, Paris, 1974). Whilst Habert initially shows himself to be influenced by
Jan Fyt, particularly in his depiction of fruit, one can also discern the influence of Jean-Michel
Picart (1600–1682), with whom he has sometimes been confused. However, in contrast to the Baroque opulence
of his Dutch contemporaries, such as Balthasar van der Alt (1593–1657), Willem Kalf (1619–1693)
and Abraham van Beyeren (1620–1690), Habert prefers a horizontal arrangement of objects,
a characteristic of the French still-life school, of which he, along with Picart and Jacques
Hupin (active in the mid-17th century), is one of the most eminent members.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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