Galerie Dreyfus
67
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JEAN-BAPTISTE PATER (VALENCIENNES, 1695 – PARIS, 1736)
A rom…
See original version (French)
67
-
JEAN-BAPTISTE PATER (VALENCIENNES, 1695 – PARIS, 1736)
A rom…
See original version (French)
Estimate €50,000 - €63,000
Voluntary lot
Description
JEAN-BAPTISTE PATER
(VALENCIENNES, 1695 – PARIS, 1736)
A romantic scene in a park
c. 1725
Oil on panel
47 x 42 cm.
Certificate from Eric Turquin Expertise.
This gathering of aristocrats conversing in the open air might just as easily be in
a drawing room, so much do their delicate, even affected poses seem out of step with the
surrounding natural setting. Seated on makeshift furniture, they indulge in the pleasures of conversation and
music. The man on the left, his hand boldly resting on his cane, seems to be setting
the tone, as all the ladies are turning towards him. He turns his upper body towards his
neighbour, who responds in a mirror-image pose. She appears to be rejecting his advances. Around
her, people watch and listen, whilst playing—some the flute, others the hurdy-gurdy. A child, lost
in this world of adults, stands beside the lady who is the object of desire. This woman is the
focal point of the scene. The light seems to emanate from her sumptuous white and pink silk dress with
shimmering highlights. Around her, the colours of the other garments are more subdued, to
set her off to her best advantage. At her feet, her companion echoes her in a variegated dress. We are
at the edge of a wood. To the left, a gap in the foliage allows the eye to take in a rural landscape.
Beneath the canopy on the right, a sculpted group depicts languid putti responding to
the couples below and hinting at the amorous encounters to come. This scene transports us
to the aristocratic and libertine society of the Regency era, where bucolic settings serve
as a backdrop for gallant conversations. The soft colour palette, with its subtle nuances, plays
with the glints of light. Here, the painter excels at rendering the shimmer of the fabrics.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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