Antique Paintings

A Pair of Overdoor Panels, with grisaille paintings in reds

Period

ca. 1750

Material

oil on canvas in carved wood frame

Sizes

(height) 98.00cm. (width) 119.00cm.

Description

On these paintings in shades of red, putti are astir with attributes on a clouded sky. On the first depiction that represents the art of painting, we see how the cherubs sketch after a plaster model. On the foreground we see a pallet, in the background an easel. On the second painting, representing poetry, the writing cherub is crowned with a laurel wreath, the other one accompanies the poet on a lyre. In the background a trumpet crowned with a laurel wreath. The paintings are mounted in their original frames in green. These panels are decorated with woodcarved ornaments. Halfway the 18th century these paintings were made as part of the paneling of a hall. They were probably place high up in the room over mirrors of doors. They were part of a series of depictions of the liberal arts.
These type of paintings are called grisailles, because they were made in shades of one colour which was usually grey. The grisaille was a much beloved part of the interior paneling in the 18th century. In the Netherlands the artist Jacob de Wit was so skilled in this technique that his work was referred to as ‘Witjes’. The paintings at hand are made in shades of red, that contrast magnificently with the green of the panels.
The depictions are borrowed from a series by La Rue edited by Huguier about 1745. The originals stem from Boucher.
The series ‘Livres des Arts’ (the books of art) consisted of six prints representing the liberal arts. Next to poetry and painting, there were depictions of architecture, sculpture, music and astronomy. Apart from architecture, which is depicted around the base of a pilar, all representations are groups of putti seated on clouds, where they practice their art surrounded by the appropriate attributes.
These paintings were manufactured in studios after originals of Boucher. The remarkable red colour was probably the trend of the day. This strengthens the connection with Boucher who set up his first draft in red crayon. Not only did Boucher design these series, he also painted panels like these. For the castle of Christian VII in Copenhagen he made a similar group in 1756 with geography as seventh art.