18th Century Art

An 18th century, Mughal painting of a tribal chief, shown richly dressed and reclining in a courtyard surrounded by numerous concubines. Exceptional attention to detail throughout, p...

Follower of Johann Heinrich Tischbein the Elder (1722–1789) Man with Bagpipes oil on oak panel no signature 25 × 19 cm (9.8 × 7.5 in) 31 x 26 cm (12.2 x 10.2 in) This refined 18th...

Monumental 18th-century French battle. Oil painting on canvas depicting the Battle of Hydaspes, in which Alexander the Great defeated the Indian king Porus. A painting of considerabl...

French or Italian school of the 18th century Animated landscape with a ruin Oil on canvas 27 x 33 cm (34 x 40 cm with the frame) Signed and dated lower right "1772 / Contencin? / fec...

French School, circa 1720's circle of Nicolas Lancret (1690-1743) oil painting on canvas 15 x 23 inches provenance: private collection, UK Fine depic...

Portrait of a Bay Hunter Horse with Groom, in an English Landscape by Francis Sartorius (English, 1734-1804) signed and dated 1762 oil painting on canvas, correct period antique gilt...

18th Century Italian or Spanish School "The Adoration of the Magi" Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (Framed): 109 x 197 cm Dimensions (Canvas): 90 x 170 cm No signatured Provenance: ...

Signed and dated to the lower left. Presented in a swept gilt frame with acanthus ornamentation. On canvas. Image size: 42 x 52cm.

initialed 'G.M.' in the lower right corner Provenance Christies, New York, Sporting Art, December 6, 2000, lot 29 Measurements Image size: each 10 3/4 by 14 1/2 inches, overall each ...

A refined 18th-century Italian painting. This artwork oil on canvas depicts a splendid Madonna and Child with a cherub, crafted with exquisite skill. The composition dates stylistica...

The Allegorical Winged Nude Lady, adorned with the attributes of Spring French School, 18th century (Rococo period) oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas: 30 x 52 inches provenance...

The Artist and his Model French School, 18th century oil on canvas, framed Framed: 14 x 17 inches Board: 11 x 14 inches Provenance: private collection, France Condition: very good co...

"The Rape of the Sabine Women," veined alabaster, large sculptural group with classical subject, Volterra manufacture, 18th century. The so-called Rape of the Sabine Women is a scu...

La obra se presenta enmarcada con su marco original de la época (el marco presenta faltas y desgastes) El estado de la obra se puede ver, tiene algunas faltas de pintura y faltas en...

The splendour of the tragic sea Francesco Guardi and maritime painting in Venetian art No Venetian painter was a stranger to the sea. After all, Venice was not only one of the most prominent ports of the Mediterranean, but indeed a city literally submerged in the ocean from time to time. Curiously however, the famous Venetian school of painting showed little interest in maritime motifs, favouring scenes from the iconic architecture of the city rather than seascapes. That is why this painting is a particularly interesting window into not only the painter Francesco Guardi himself – but to the significance of the element of water in art history, in absence as well as in the centre of attention. Whether it be calm, sunny days with stunning views of the palaces alongside the canals of Venice or – more rarely – stormy shipwrecking tragedies at sea, water as a unifying element is integral to the works of painter Francesco Guardi (1712–1793). During his lifetime, Venetian art saw many of its greatest triumphs with names like Tiepolo or Canaletto gaining international recognition and firmly establishing Venice as one of the most vibrant artistic communities of Europe. While the city itself already in the 18th century was something of an early tourist spot where aristocrats and high society visited on their grand tour or travels, the artists too contributed to the fame and their work spread the image of Venice as the city of romance and leisure to an international audience, many of whom could never visit in person. Still today, the iconic image of Venice with its whimsical array of palaces, churches and other historic buildings is much influenced by these artists, many of whom have stood the test of time like very well and remain some of the most beloved in all of art history. It was not primarily subtility, intellectual meanings or moral ideals that the Venetian art tried to capture; instead it was the sheer vibrancy of life and the fast-paced city with crumbling palaces and festive people that made this atmosphere so special. Of course, Venice could count painters in most genres among its residents, from portraiture to religious motifs, history painting and much else. Still, it is the Vedutas and views of the city that seems to have etched itself into our memory more than anything else, not least in the tradition of Canaletto who was perhaps the undisputed master of all Venetian painters. Born into his profession, Francesco lived and breathed painting all his life. His father, the painter Domenico Guardi (1678–1716) died when Francesco was just a small child, yet both he and his brothers Niccolò and Gian Antonio continued in their fathers’ footsteps. The Guardi family belonged to the nobility and originated from the mountainous area of Trentino, not far from the Alps. The brothers worked together on more challenging commissions and supported each other in the manner typical of family workshops or networks of artists. Their sister Maria Cecilia married no other than the artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo himself, linking the family to the most renowned Venetian name of the time. During almost a decade, Guardi worked in the studio of Michele Giovanni Marieschi, sometimes simply known as Michiel, a painted similar in both style and motif. Canaletto is, however, the artist Guardi is most often compared to since they shared a mutual fascination for depicting the architecture and cityscape of Venice. During the course of his career, Guardi tried his hand in many different genres. He was as swift in painting landscapes, Vedutas of Venice, sacred motifs, interiors and architectural compositions as he was in a number of other motifs. His style is typical of the Venetian school but also distinct and personal once we look a little closer. There is an absolute certainty in the composition, the choice of which sometimes feels like that of a carefully calculated photograph – yet it is also very painterly, in the best sense of the word: fluid, bold, sensitive and full of character. The brushwork is rapid, intense, seemingly careless and extraordinarily minute at the same time; fresh and planned in a very enjoyable mixture. His interiors often capture the breath-taking spacious glamour of the palaces and all their exquisite decor. He usually constructed the motif through remarkably simple, almost spontaneous yet intuitively precise strokes and shapes. The result was a festive, high-spirited atmospheric quality, far away from the sterile and exact likeness that other painters fell victim to when trying to copy Canaletto. The painting here has nothing of the city of Venice in it. On the contrary, we seem to be transported far away into the solitary ocean, with no architecture, nothing to hold on to – only the roaring sea and the dangerous cliffs upon which the ships are just moments away from being crushed upon. It is a maritime composition evoking both Flemish and Italian precursors, in the proud tradition of maritime painting that for centuries formed a crucial part of our visual culture. This genre of painting is today curiously overlooked, compared to how esteemed and meaningful it was when our relationship to the sea was far more natural than it is today. When both people and goods travelled by water, and many nations and cities – Venice among them – depended entirely on sea fare, the existential connection to the ocean was much more natural and integrated into the imagination. The schools and traditions of maritime art are as manifold as there are countries connected to the sea, and all reflect the need to process the dangers and wonders of the ocean. It could symbolize opportunity, the exciting prospects of a new countries and adventures, prospering trade, beautiful scenery as well as war and tragedy, loss of life, danger and doom. To say that water is ambivalent in nature is an understatement, and these many layers were something that artists explored in the most wondrous ways. Perhaps it takes a bit more time for the modern eye to identify the different nuances and qualities of historic maritime paintings, they may on first impression seem hard to differentiate from each other. But when allowing these motifs to unfold and tell stories of the sea in both fiction and reality – or somewhere in between – we are awarded with an understanding of how the oceans truly built our world. In Guardi’s interpretation, we see an almost theatrically arranged shipwrecking scene. No less than five ships are depicted right in the moment of utter disaster. Caught in a violent storm, the waves have driven them to a shore of sharp cliffs and if not swallowed by the waves, crushing against the cliffs seems to be the only outcome. The large wooden ships are impressively decorated with elaborate sculpture, and in fact relics already during Guardi’s lifetime. They are in fact typical of Dutch and Flemish 17th century ships, giving us a clue to where he got the inspiration from. Guardi must have seen examples of Flemish maritime art, that made him curious about these particular motifs. One is reminded of Flemish painters like Willem van de Velde and Ludolf Backhuysen, and this very painting has indeed been mistakenly attributed to Matthieu van Plattenberg...

Outstanding early 18th-century portrait of a seated Spaniel dog in a landscape with an array of fruits. Attributed to the work of Tobias Stranover. ...

The Roman general Mark Antony dies in the arms of his lover Cleopatra in this finely detailed engraving by Johann Georg Wille (1715-1808) after a 1763 painting by Pompeo Batoni (1708...

La obra se presenta enmarcada con su marco original de la época (el marco presenta faltas y desgastes) El estado de la obra se puede ver, tiene algunas faltas de pintura y faltas en...

Exquisite and iconic Baroque religious devotional engraving and embroidery, 18th century, depicting Our Lady of Mercy with the Child Jesus, framed in its original carved and polychro...

David Morier (c.1705–1770 London) An equestrian portrait of Field Marshal Sir John Ligonier, 1st Earl of Ligonier (1680–1770) Oil on canvas Canvas size - 40 x 50 in Framed size - 48 ...

A mischievous tableau with sexual overtones. Tokyo: Shuei-Sha, 1768. Woodblock print in colors printed on laid mulberry paper, 10 3/4 x 7 7/8 inches (273 x 200 mm), full margins. I...

An evocative 18th-century oil depicting St Francis Xavier - the 16th-century Catholic missionary and co-founder of the Jesuit order. The artist has depicted the figure with elements ...

Fine Art Print Hahnemuehle, editioned, Giovanni Battista Piranesi print in Verlag von AD Lehmann in Wien, end of the 19. century, SalamonArt certificate will be included.

"A Coastal Landscape with Figures and Ruins" Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (Framed): 75 x 100 cm Dimensions (Canvas): 48 x 74 cm No signatured This striking 18th-century oil paint...

18th-Century Still Life Painting – Classical Fruit Composition Artist: Unidentified Period: 18th Century Medium: Oil on Canvas Dimensions: Framed: 54 x 74 cm Artwork: 35 x 54 cm Sty...

Emperor Jahangir and Empress Nur Jahan exchanging lotus blossoms; a symbol of beauty, purity, honesty, rebirth, self-regeneration, and enlightenment....

This superb British Old Master marine oil painting is attributed to Peter Monamy. Painted circa 1730 it depicts Morning Gun - A morning gun is a gun fired at the first note of revei...

Emperor Jahangir depicted with his harem attendees aboard a pleasure cruise, the water filled with lotus blossoms; symbols of paradise itself. Circa 1750. Gouache and ink with gold ...

Magnificent Italian painting from the first half of the 18th century. This oil on canvas artwork depicts the biblical episode of Moses driving the shepherds from the well of Midian. ...

Edmund Garvey (Kilkenny 1740-1813) A view of Bath Oil on canvas Canvas Size 20 x 28 in Framed Size 26 x 33 in Edmund Garvey (1740 – 28 May 1813) was an Irish landscape painter whose...

Late 18th Century English Portrait of Siblings Watercolour Painting Late 18th Century English School watercolour on paper laid on board, framed under glass Framed size: 18.5 x 16.5 i...

This lovely Italian Old Master portrait oil painting is by Domenico Maria Sani. Painted circa 1732 the sitter is of Maria Anna Vittoria (1718 - 1788), daughter of Philip V and Elisabetta Farnese, who in 1729 married Joseph prince of Brazil and king of Portugal...

Como pueden apreciar, la obra no va firmada, es de autor anónimo Se presenta enmarcada la obra (el marco presenta algunos signos de uso) El estado de la obra es aceptable, solo com...

Oil on canvas. cm 60.5 x 2 x 50 Nice Oil painting (Italian School of XIX century) with a rapid sign and intense colors backgrpound. Some color cracking on left margin and top edge, ...

Apollo and Marsyas Pompeo Girolamo Batoni (Lucca 1708 – Rome 1787) circle oil on canvas (65 x 83 cm. - framed 84 x 102 cm.) Provenance: Private collection, Rome The subject...

Shunga is an original modern artwork realized by Katsukawa Schuncho (1726 – 1793) in the half of the 18th Century. Erotic scene from the series "Koshuko zue juni ko". A courtesan with a customer under a kimono stand...

A fine, large 18th century veduta capriccio scene with temple ruins after Gennaro Greco from the circle of Pietro Cappelli. The painting is presented in a more modern carved gilt woo...

Portrait Traditionally Identified as Lady Mary Somerset, Duchess of Ormonde (1665–1733), 18th Century Michael Dahl (1656-1743) Large 18th Century portrait of a lady traditionally i...

Peter Monamy (London 1681-1749) A Calm with a Man of War firing a Salute Oil on canvas Canvas Size 14 1/4 x 17 1/4 in Framed Size 20 x 24 in Peter Monamy was an acclaimed British marine painter of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, renowned for his evocative depictions of seascapes and naval scenes. Born in 1681 on Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands, Monamy displayed an early affinity for art, which was shaped by the maritime culture of his homeland. His works vividly capture the drama and grandeur of the sea, marking him as one of the prominent marine artists of his time. At a young age, Monamy moved to London, where he likely apprenticed with a sign painter. His artistic skills flourished during this period, influenced by Dutch marine painters such as Willem van de Velde the Younger...

The Piazza della Rotonda, with the Pantheon and Obelisk. Etching on fine watermarked paper. Signed on plate on lower-left margin "Piranesi del. Sc." and with the address of Bouchard...

A beautiful example of an early 18th century devotional painting depicting the Holy Family in a landscape. On the left stands Mary, wearing a flowing pink dress with blue drapery, he...

Como pueden apreciar, la obra no va firmada Se presenta enmarcada la obra con un marco del siglo xix en madera estucada y policromada (el marco presenta algún leve descolche) El es...

Oil on Canvas. Northern Italian school of the 18th century. The gentleman, in an elegant suit with a red cloak, was portrayed with several objects placed on the desk in front of him,...

Rembrandt van Rijn, After by Amand Durand, Dutch (1606 - 1669) - Self-Portrait, Year: of Original: 1634, Medium: Etching, Image Size: 5.5 x 4.5 inches, Size: 14 x 11 in. (35.56 x ...

A masterful copy by an unknown artist, after the portrait of "Beatrice d'Este" by Leonardo Da Vinci also known as ‘Portrait of a Lady’ or ‘La Dama con la reticella di perle (The Lady With a Pearl Hairnet)’. The original work originally created in the 15th Century is currently on display in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana Museum of Milan. Beatrice d'Este was the Duchess of Bari/Milan and was believed to be one of the most attractive princesses of the Renaissance. Her impeccable style won her many admirers throughout Italy and France, and she became a trendsetter of the highest order. This copy of the original painting, is an oil on canvas done in the 18th Century, and in this exquisite portrait, the artist has masterfully depicted the fine details with draped hair, pearls, royal dress, ornate headgear and sumptuous jewelry in front of a dark background. Once again, capturing the imagination with another enigmatic smile. It comes housed in an elegant period giltwood frame with ebonized trims and ready to be displayed with hanging wire on verso. Art measures 28 x 18 inches Frame measures 34.5 x 24.5 inches There is much debate and controversy over who actually painted the "Beatrice d'Este" was it Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), or Giovanni Ambrogio de Predis (1455–1508). So we may never know who executed the original portrait which hangs in the museum, but that need not deter from an appreciation of its singularity. Following the portraiture convention established by painters of the Quattrocentro, the artist has chosen to portray his sitter in profile. In doing so, he magnificently captures the essence of his sitter, a girl on the threshold of womanhood. Bedecked in the adornments—silk, velvet, pearls and embroidery (brocade) crafted of spun gold threads—afforded her by birthright and marriage, Beatrice looks forward in noble serenity. And at the same time her profile with its upturned nose and slight smile betrays an innocence that must have been the basis of the oft-repeated epithet: la più zentil donna in Italia” (“the sweetest lady in Italy”). It is believed the lady is Beatrice d'Este (1475-1497), duchess of Bari and later of Milan, the wife of Ludovico Sforza (known as "il Moro"). One of the most beautiful princesses of the Italian Renaissance, she was known for her good taste in fashion. Beatrice was a member of the Este-Sforza family, which joined by marriage two of the oldest reigning and already powerful houses in Italy. The house of Este, which held court in Ferrara, traced its lineage to the 11th century Dukes of Saxony and Bavaria. Beatriceʼs father, Ercole I ruled the Ferrara commune for 34 years, catapulting the city-state (and the Estes with it) to an unmatched level of economic prosperity and cultural prominence. The family was renowned for its love of letters and patronage of the arts. The first time Leonardo da Vinci’s name resounded in the Ambrosiana, it was through the pen of its founder, Cardinal Federico Borromeo, who attributed this little panel to the great Master, describing it as “A portrait of a Duchess of Milan, by the hand of Leonardo”. Following the Cardinal’s statement, the portrait was for long assumed to depict Beatrice d’Este, the wife of Ludovico il Moro. However, scholars have recently been more cautious and vague in their statements, with regard to both the artist (anonymous Lombard or Emilian...

This stunning British Old Master landscape oil painting, with excellent provenance, is by George Lambert. Lambert was a pioneer of British landscape in art for its own sake. Painted in 1744, the painting is entitled View of a Manor House and Cottages in Elizabeth Einberg's 63rd volume of the Walpole Society 2001 and is described as follows: In the foreground a road emerges from a wood to cross a ford and then leads up the hill to the right, towards a manor house seemingly built into the remains of a medieval or Tudor edifice. The main track, crowded with sheep and rustic figures, passes the massive square gateposts lower down the hill on the left. Further to the left is a thatched cottage with smoke coming out the chimney. In the distance is a wide coastal view. The main buildings, which are in the dead centre of the composition, represent almost certainly an as yet unidentified English view. The colouring and detail in the trees and foliage are superb. This is an excellent Old Master oil painting by one of the all time great British landscape artists with extensive provenance. Signed and dated 1744 lower left on rock in black. Provenance. Elizabeth Einberg, “Catalogue Raisonnè of the works of George Lambert” The Annual Volume of the Walpole Society, 2001 Vol. 63, page 149 no P1744, fig.71. Antonacci Efrati Antichità Rome Gallery. Burden sale, Parke Bernet, New York, 20-21, April 1938 (376 repr.) Robert E. Peters, Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, March 1975 (41 repr.) Lit. Schnackenburg 1995, pp 83-84, cat. no.14 fig 13. Condition. Oil on canvas, 54 inches by 52 inches and in good condition. Frame. Housed in an ornate gilt frame, 64 inches by 62 inches and in good condition. George Lambert (1700-1765) was an English landscape artist and theatre scene painter. With Richard Wilson he is recognised as a pioneer of British landscape in art, for its own sake. Lambert was born in Kent and studied art under Warner Hassells and John Wootton, soon attracting attention by the quality of his landscape painting. He painted many large and fine landscapes in the style of Gaspar Poussin and Salvator Rosa. Many of his landscapes were finely engraved by François Vivares, James Mason (1710–1785), and others, including a set of views of Plymouth and Mount Edgcumbe (painted conjointly with Samuel Scott), a view of Saltwood Castle in Kent, another of Dover, and a landscape presented to the Foundling Hospital in London. Lambert also obtained a great reputation as a scene-painter, working at first for the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre, in London, under John Rich. When Rich moved to Covent Garden Theatre, Lambert secured the assistance of Amigoni, and together they produced scenery of far higher quality than any previously executed. Lambert was a man of jovial temperament and shrewd wit, and frequently spent his evenings at work in his painting-loft at Covent Garden Theatre, to which men of note in the fashionable or theatrical world resorted to share his supper of a beef-steak, freshly cooked on the spot. Out of these meetings arose the well-known "Beefsteak Club" which long maintained a high social reputation. Most of Lambert's scene-paintings unfortunately perished when Covent Garden Theatre was destroyed by fire in 1808. Lambert was a friend of William Hogarth and a member of the jovial society that met at 'Old Slaughter's' Tavern in St Martin's Lane. In 1755 he was one of the committee of artists who proposed a royal academy of arts in London. He was a member of the Society of Artists of Great Britain, exhibited with them in 1761 and the three following years, and during the same period contributed to the Academy exhibitions. In 1765 he and other members seceded and formed the Incorporated Society of Artists of Great Britain, of which he was elected the first president. In conjunction with Samuel Scott, Lambert painted a series of Indian views for the old East India House in Leadenhall Street. He also etched two prints after Salvator Rosa. Lambert was associated in 1735 with George Vertue, Hogarth, and John Pine (engraver, 1660–1756) in obtaining a bill from parliament securing artists a copyright on their works. Lambert's portraits were painted by Thomas Hudson, John Vanderbank (engraved in mezzotint by John Faber the younger in 1727, and in line by H. Robinson and others), and Hogarth. Lambert's most famous painting is "A view of Box Hill, Surrey" (1733) which depicts a well-known beauty spot south of London. Hogarth considered Lambert a rival to the famous French landscape painter Claude Lorrain (1600–1682) with respect to his use of soft light to unify the scene in this painting. Though he never visited Italy he was inspired by the classical tradition of landscape painting. Lambert died on 30 November 1765 at his home on the Piazza in Covent Garden. His pupils included John Inigo Richards...

Francesco Fontebasso (Venice 1709 – Venice 1769) Alexander the Great Shows Mercy to the Persians Oil on canvas 108 x 153 cm. - Framed 120 x 164 cm. Highly captivating due to ...

Large Prussian-blue grisaille. French, Rococo, mid-18th century. Depicting a romantic couple resting by the edge of a lake, in a wooded landscape with abundant, luxuriant nature. Pro...

Netherlandish School XVIII Century Monogrammed Old Master Oil Painting An intriguing oil painting of early extraction depicting the crucifixion at Calvary outside Jerusalem. I am s...

Rembrandt van Rijn, After by Amand Durand, Dutch (1606 - 1669) - The Hundred Guilder Print, Year: Of original btw 1643-1649, Medium: Etching, Image Size: 11 x 15.5 inches, Size: 20 ...

Italian painter (18th century) - The Fruit Seller. 70.5 x 58.5 cm (without frame) - 88.5 x 75.5 cm (with frame). Oil on canvas, in a carved wood frame (not signed). The painting d...

French school painting, second half of the 18th century. Oil on canvas artwork depicting a highly refined pastoral scene. In the foreground, a young shepherd rests seated next to a l...

A pair of old master paintings by August Querfurt (1696-1761). Oil on panel, one signed with initials in the lower left. Two scenes depicting hawking parties from the 18th century. I...

George Morland (1763 London - 1804 Brighton). Sheltering from the Storm. Oil on canvas, relined, 37.5 x 29.5 cm (visible size), 53.5 x 45.5 cm (...

The four plates in this "Four Times of the Day" set were created utilizing both engraving and etching techniques by William Hogarth in 1738. Hogarth's original copper plates were refurbished where needed by James Heath and these engravings were republished in London in 1822 by Braddock, Cradock & Joy. This was the last time Hogarth's original copper plates were used for printing. Most were melted down during World War I for the construction of bombs. Printed upon early nineteenth century wove paper and with large, full margins as published by William Heath in 1822. The inscription below each print reads "Invented Painted & Engraved by Wm. Hogarth & Publish'd March 25. 1738 according to Act of Parliament". These large folio sized "Four Times of the Day" engravings/etchings are presented in complex gold-colored wood frames with black bands and scalloped gold inner trim. A majority of each thick impressive frame is covered with glass applied near the outer edge. Each frame measures 25.75" high, 22.25" wide and 1.88" deep. There are a few small dents in the edge of these frames, which are otherwise in very good condition. "Morning" has two focal areas of discoloration in the upper margin and some discoloration in the right margin, a short tear in the left margin and a short tear or crease in the right margin. "Noon" has a spot in the upper margin that extends into the upper image, but it is otherwise in very good condition. "Evening" has a faint spot in the upper margin, but it is otherwise in very good condition. "Night" is in excellent condition. The "Four Times of the Day" series is in the collection of many major museums, including: The British Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Tate Museum, The Chicago Art Institute and The Victoria and Albert Museum. Through this series Hogarth is portraying early 18th century London street life at "Four Times of the Day". His characters are exhibiting their personalities, quircks, strange activities, but he also wants to draw attention the disparities between the wealthy aristocracy and the common working class. Plate 1, "Morning" depicts morning in Covent Garden in the winter in front of Tom King...

This exquisite early 19th-century English portrait of a gun dog or foxhound by Thomas Weaver is a masterpiece of sporting art that offers both historical...

A charming 18th-century engraving depicting the religious scene of Rebecca at The Well. Inscribed in plate. Presented in a gilt frame. On paper.

Attributed to Pierre Paul Prud’hon (French, 1758-1823) 'La belle musicienne' Oil on canvas, oval Signed ‘P. P. Prudon’ (lower left) 28.3/4 x 23.1/2 in. (73 x 59.5 cm.) Pierre Paul Prud'hon is considered a prime example of early French Romanticism. He was born as the seventh and last child of a master tailor. At the age of 16 he was a pupil of the painter and sculptor Francois Devosge. After finishing his studies he moved to Paris, where he first worked for an engraver and became friends with the Baron of Joursanvault, who became his patron. He also made a friendship with the "incorruptible", the politician and revolutionary Maximilien de Robespierre. Despite important friendships and the care of some cardinals, Prud'hon plunges into loneliness and melancholy. He has a good reputation and produces allegorical paintings, but his attachment to Robespierre forces him to leave the French capital. He now lives in the Free County of Burgundy, where he makes portraits and illustrations for Pierre Didot, the owner of the printing house. After a few years he moved back to Paris and his career received a new impetus. In the Louvre, Prud'hon is provided with a studio in which he paints "La sagesse et la vérité descendant sur la terre" (Wisdom and Truth descend to earth) for one year, as well as some ceilings of the Louvre. The government assigns him a studio in the Sorbonne, where his wife Jeanne, whom he married at the age of 19, comes looking for him. To escape her, he asks the museum director for protection. In 1808 he wrote "La justice et la vengeance divine poursuivant le crime" (Justice and divine revenge pursue the crime). In the same year he is also named Knight of the Legion of Honour and is able to break with his grumpy wife once and for all. He soon reconnects with his student and painter of neoclassicism Constance Mayer. Pierre is commissioned to paint a portrait of the Empress and wife of Napoleon, Joséphine de Beauharnais, which can still be seen today in the Louvre. He also paints the small "Roi de Rome" (King of Rome). In 1816 the Academy of Fine Arts elected him a member, where he took over the armchair in the painting section of François-André Vincent. A few years later his depressed wife commits suicide, and full of pain Prud'hon finishes her last work "Une famille malheureuse" (Engl. An Unhappy Family) and exhibits it. He himself dies soon afterwards and is buried in Paris. Many renowned artists admire Prud'hon for his "clair-obscur", the chiaroscuro painting...

This early 18th-century oil painting by an artist working in the circle of Nicolas De Largillière (1656-1746) depicts Frédéric III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenbourg (1699-1772), shown h...

18th-century Flemish painter Still life with flowers and fruit, a cake, a precious goblet and cheese oil on canvas 73 x 98 cm. – with frame 98 x 129 cm. Provenance: Cambi, Ge...