Marco Marcola

Travelling Comic Theatre - Italian 18thC art figurative landscape oil painting

Circa 1770

This charming 18th century French Old Master oil painting is attributed to circle of Joseph Frans Nollekens. Painted circa 1740 it is described as a fete champetre - a form of entertainment in the 18th century, taking the form of a garden party. They were often elegant affairs and became very popular in 18th French paintings. Antoine Watteau invented the genre, from around 1710 and they were also included as a category in the French Academy. In this painting, several well dressed figures are sat in the foreground by a fountain and statue, being entertained by a musician. Beyond, a wide avenue of trees leads towards a very grand country house with countryside beyond. There is superb detail in the figures and their colourful clothing. The brushwork in the trees and sky is also superb. This is a charming example of an 18th century fete champetre and of a French Old Master oil painting. Provenance. Gloucester estate. Condition. Oil on canvas. Image size 49 inches by 30 inches and in good condition. Frame. Housed in a fine gilt frame, 56 inches by 37 inches and in good condition. Josef Frans Nollekens or Joseph Frans Nollekens (1702–1748)[2] was a Flemish painter who was principally active in England where he is often referred to as "Old Nollekens" to distinguish him from his famous son, the sculptor Joseph Nollekens. He painted conversation pieces, galant companies and fêtes champêtres in the style of Watteau, genre scenes as well as portraits. He was also active as a picture restorer. A fête champêtre was a form of entertainment in the 18th century, taking the form of a garden party. This form of entertainment was particularly practised by the French court, where in the Gardens of Versailles and elsewhere areas of the park were landscaped with follies, pavilions, and temples to accommodate such festivities. The term is a French expression, very literally translating as "party in the fields", meaning a "pastoral festival" or "country feast" and in theory was a simple form of entertainment, perhaps little more than a picnic or informal open air dancing. In practice, especially in the 18th century, the simplicity of the event was often contrived. A fête champêtre was often a very elegant form of entertainment involving on occasions whole orchestras hidden in trees, with guests sometimes in fancy dress. Such events became a popular subject in French 18th-century painting, representing a glamourized aristocratic form of pastoral, with "scenes of well dressed dalliance in a park setting". Antoine Watteau invented the genre, from around 1710, and is its best exponent, imitated by others such as Nicolas Lancret and Jean-Baptiste Pater...

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