Description
Edmond Lechevallier-Chevignard (French, 1825-1902) The Fountain of Love in front of the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire, 1864 Canvas signed and dated lower left: "E. LECHEVALLIER . CHEVIGNARD .P. / .MDCCCLXIV". Height 140.5 Width 173.5 cm. (restorations, accidents) Bibliography: "Explication des ouvrages de peinture, sculpture, architecture, gravure et lithographie des artistes vivants, exposés au Palais des Champs-Elysées le 1er mai 1865", Paris, Charles de Mourgues frères, probably no. 1275, "La Touraine". A pupil of Martin Drolling, Edmond Lechevallier-Chevignard followed in the vein of painters of historical genre scenes, such as Paul Delaroche or Olivier Merson. Our painting perfectly transcribes this new genre, bringing together characters in Renaissance garb in the enchanting setting of a "Fountain of Love". A recurring theme, it conjures up characters in a courtly environment where the arts are invited in, with Cupid and Venus in the background. Eighteenth-century libertine painters such as François Boucher and Jean-Honoré Fragonard were quick to illustrate this subject under the guise of gallant representation. Here, music and reading frame two friends holding hands. Another woman braids a wreath of flowers as Cupid prepares to ignite the passion of love. Exhibiting at the Salon from 1849, Lechevallier-Chevignard followed an official career, winning a 3rd class medal in 1859. Our painting is probably the one presented at the 1865 Salon under the title "La Touraine" at number "1275". "This evocation of 16th-century life, which he loved and knew above all else" (P.V, "Nécrologie Edmond Lechevallier-Chevignard", La Chronique des Arts et de la Curiosité : supplément à la Gazette des Beaux-Arts", March 29, 1902, p.103) reveals the façade of the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire in the background. At the time, the château was owned by Viscount Joseph Walsh, who married the widow of Count d'Aramon, who had owned the château between 1833 and 1847. The latter commissioned major work to restore and improve the estate, in particular its parkland, for which it is still renowned today. The 1865 Salon continued to foster the rivalry between the large and small genres, as pointed out by some commentators of the time, such as Félix Jahyer ("Salon de 1865 : étude sur les beaux-arts", Paris, Dentu, p.6). Indeed, he deplores the fact that a large majority of living artists indulge in following in the footsteps of painters like Greuze, a skilful orchestrator of historical genre scenes. "It's much easier to surpass this pleasant painter than to follow in the footsteps of the great masters, even from a distance", he declares. This is not the case with our painting, which is in some ways reminiscent in composition of the country concerts of Renaissance masters such as Titian.
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Edmond Lechevallier-Chevignard (French, 1825-1902) The Fountain of Love in front of the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire, 1864 Canvas signed and dated lower left: "E. LECHEVALLIER . CHEVIGNARD .P. / .MDCCCLXIV". Height 140.5 Width 173.5 cm. (restorations, accidents) Bibliography: "Explication des ouvrages de peinture, sculpture, architecture, gravure et lithographie des artistes vivants, exposés au Palais des Champs-Elysées le 1er mai 1865", Paris, Charles de Mourgues frères, probably no. 1275, "La Touraine". A pupil of Martin Drolling, Edmond Lechevallier-Chevignard followed in the vein of painters of historical genre scenes, such as Paul Delaroche or Olivier Merson. Our painting perfectly transcribes this new genre, bringing together characters in Renaissance garb in the enchanting setting of a "Fountain of Love". A recurring theme, it conjures up characters in a courtly environment where the arts are invited in, with Cupid and Venus in the background. Eighteenth-century libertine painters such as François Boucher and Jean-Honoré Fragonard were quick to illustrate this subject under the guise of gallant representation. Here, music and reading frame two friends holding hands. Another woman braids a wreath of flowers as Cupid prepares to ignite the passion of love. Exhibiting at the Salon from 1849, Lechevallier-Chevignard followed an official career, winning a 3rd class medal in 1859. Our painting is probably the one presented at the 1865 Salon under the title "La Touraine" at number "1275". "This evocation of 16th-century life, which he loved and knew above all else" (P.V, "Nécrologie Edmond Lechevallier-Chevignard", La Chronique des Arts et de la Curiosité : supplément à la Gazette des Beaux-Arts", March 29, 1902, p.103) reveals the façade of the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire in the background. At the time, the château was owned by Viscount Joseph Walsh, who married the widow of Count d'Aramon, who had owned the château between 1833 and 1847. The latter commissioned major work to restore and improve the estate, in particular its parkland, for which it is still renowned today. The 1865 Salon continued to foster the rivalry between the large and small genres, as pointed out by some commentators of the time, such as Félix Jahyer ("Salon de 1865 : étude sur les beaux-arts", Paris, Dentu, p.6). Indeed, he deplores the fact that a large majority of living artists indulge in following in the footsteps of painters like Greuze, a skilful orchestrator of historical genre scenes. "It's much easier to surpass this pleasant painter than to follow in the footsteps of the great masters, even from a distance", he declares. This is not the case with our painting, which is in some ways reminiscent in composition of the country concerts of Renaissance masters such as Titian.
