Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 7

Unknown
French School of the 19th Century Variation on the Final Act of La Juive, (18)86

1886

$2,140.79
$3,508.5238% Off
£1,580.22
£2,589.8038% Off
€1,800
€2,95038% Off
CA$2,955.16
CA$4,843.1838% Off
A$3,292.26
A$5,395.6538% Off
CHF 1,727.17
CHF 2,830.6438% Off
MX$40,211.59
MX$65,902.3338% Off
NOK 21,869.25
NOK 35,841.2638% Off
SEK 20,493.29
SEK 33,586.2338% Off
DKK 13,704.27
DKK 22,459.7738% Off

About the Item

French School of the 19th Century Variation on the Final Act of La Juive, (18)86 Oil on canvas 32.5 x 46 cm Signed and dated lower right. Dedicated "à l’ami Carnot" Provenance Private collection, France This painting, attributed to a 19th-century French school artist, illustrates a dramatic scene from the final act of the opera La Juive (1835) by Jacques Fromental Halévy, with a libretto by Eugène Scribe. The opera, which left a profound mark on its era, addresses themes of religious tolerance through the tragic story of Eléazar, a Jewish goldsmith, and his adopted daughter Rachel, both condemned to perish at the stake amid an atmosphere of hatred and fanaticism. The composition of the painting is dominated by a striking chiaroscuro effect. The background features towering Gothic architecture, evoking a medieval city under the grip of religious repression, with a monumental cathedral silhouetted against the fading light of dusk. On the right, the stake burns fiercely, surrounded by a dense, agitated crowd whose tumult mirrors the horror of the scene. The use of dark tones, interspersed with glowing reds, heightens the oppressive and tragic atmosphere. The dedication, "à l’ami Carnot," suggests the work may have been created to honor a patron or close acquaintance, possibly reflecting the political or social resonance of La Juive. Indeed, the opera’s plea against intolerance resonated strongly in 19th-century France, a period fraught with tensions between religious communities. The date of the painting (1886) might also hint at a revival of interest in La Juive, either through contemporary performances or public debates on civil rights. Technically, the artist displays an expressive mastery of the medium, with brisk, dynamic brushstrokes that vividly convey violence and emotion. The handling of light, particularly the reflections on the water in the foreground, adds striking depth to the composition. The work situates itself within the tradition of historical and narrative painting, while embracing the aesthetics of late Romanticism. In summary, this painting is more than a mere opera illustration; it is a visual meditation on the destructive power of intolerance and the weight of destiny, firmly rooted in the grand tradition of 19th-century Romantic drama.
  • Creation Year:
    1886
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 12.8 in (32.5 cm)Width: 18.12 in (46 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Paris, FR
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU2258215656082

More From This Seller

View All
Impressionist School, second half of the 19th century
Located in Paris, Île-de-France
Impressionist School, second half of the 19th century Portrait of Two Young Girls Oil on panel, 28 x 22 cm Provenance: Private collection, Paris This delicate portrait, executed ...
Category

Late 19th Century Impressionist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

French School, early 19th century - Battle Scene between Greeks and Ottomans
Located in Paris, Île-de-France
French School, early 19th century Battle Scene between Greeks and Ottomans, circa 1820–1830 Pencil and brown wash on paper, 30 × 46 cm Unsigned Provenance: Former collection of P...
Category

Early 19th Century Old Masters Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Chalk, Crayon

Study for a fresco
Located in Paris, Île-de-France
Attributed to Francesco PENNI (1488 – 1528) Study for a fresco Pen and brown ink, brown wash heightened with white on prepared paper 14 x 12 cm Unsigned On the mount, handwriting ...
Category

16th Century Old Masters Interior Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

Studies of Women: Cabaret Dancers, Horsewoman, and Female Profiles
By Giovanni Boldini
Located in Paris, Île-de-France
Attributed to Giovanni Boldini (1842–1931) Studies of Women: Cabaret Dancers, Horsewoman, and Female Profiles Circa 1900 Ink wash and brown wash on paper, 28.5 x 19.5 cm Unsigned I...
Category

Late 19th Century Art Nouveau Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Laid Paper

Academy Drawing of a Man
Located in Paris, Île-de-France
Constance-Marie Charpentier (1767–1849) Academy Drawing of a Man Black and white chalk on paper 56 x 43 cm Provenance: Private collection Constance-Marie Charpentier, a student of Jacques-Louis David, distinguished herself in late 18th- and early 19th-century Paris as a highly skilled portraitist. Despite the obstacles faced by female artists of her time, Charpentier gained recognition and was even awarded a gold medal at the 1814 Salon—a rare and significant honor. This work, a male nude academy...
Category

19th Century Old Masters Nude Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Chalk

Italian School, 16th Century, Study of figures
Located in Paris, Île-de-France
Italian School, 16th Century Studies of Figures Pen and ink on paper, 23 × 24 cm A finely executed sheet presenting vigorous figure studies, drawn with assured pen strokes and a ke...
Category

16th Century Old Masters Nude Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink

You May Also Like

Vieille France -Painting by Jean Lereu - 19th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Vieielle France is an original oil painting on canvas realized by Jean Lereu, in the late 19th century. Hand-signed in red, in the lower left margin. 49.5x69 cm with frame. Good...
Category

19th Century Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Vieille France - Painting by Jean Lereu - 19th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Vieielle France is an original oil painting on canvas realized by Jean Lereu, in the late 19th century. Hand-signed in the lower right margin. 49.5x69 cm with frame. Good condit...
Category

19th Century Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Historical subject, XIXth century
Located in Milan, IT
Oil painting on canvas. Mid 19th century. The large scene tells an unidentified historical episode, set in the Renaissance period, in which an archbishop listens to the plea of a you...
Category

19th Century Other Art Style Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

19th Century Spanish Impressionist Painting
Located in New York, NY
Mystery Spanish Artist Untitled, c. 1800s Oil on canvas 8 1/2 x 12 1/2 in.
Category

19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

French painting 19th Constant SMITH Athalie dream French theater 17th RACINE
Located in PARIS, FR
Constant Félix SMITH Paris, 1788 – Paris, 1873 The Dream of Athalie Oil on canvas 38 x 46 cm (43 x 51 cm with the frame) Beautiful 19th century giltwood frame Good condition (but num...
Category

1820s Flemish School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Painting 20th Century Symbolism Esotericism
By Numa François Gillet
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
GILLET Numa François (1868- 1940) Oil on wood panel signed low left Dedicated and dated 1933 Old Antique frame gilded with gold leaves Dim panel : 37 X 55 cm Dim frame : 61 X 78 cm GILLET Numa François (1868- 1940) French 19th-20th century Painter, ceramist, architect designer Symbolist movement Numa François Gillet...
Category

Early 20th Century Symbolist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil