Splendid miniature directly "aprés" (after) the original painting by Jean-Baptiste GREUZE, ( ), exhibited at the 1769 Salon, and in collection now of the Wallace Collection Museum, London.
A truly exquisite miniature painting, French and c.1700s, in the "Romantic Era" manner and theme popularized by artists such as Greuze, Fragonard and Boucher in the time of the Louis Kings. The work is a splendid example of those themes, but in this miniature form, the richness of color, emotion, detail is astounding. That is only a 3" diameter canvas/frame, don't forget. I've read in museum info that some of these grand miniaturists used a single or 2-hair brush. This couldn't have been worked with much more. Our subject obviously in the thralls of love, appealing to Cupid, her face less than 1/4" and yet with emotion plainly captured. The doves quarrel at the foot of Cupid's statue, and his quiver and bow lie beneath them. The unbroken jug is also symbolic of her virtue, unbroken virginity. Such a story this tiny old treasure tells. Elaborate setting, beautiful garden scene. Even though there is a fine tight hairline in the wafer, it has highest appeal. A true museum piece!
Very good to excellent for age and type. There is a single flaw, a fine tight hairline that traverses the center vertically, an age line in the thin natural wafer upon which the work is painted in gouache. No other losses or flaws. The outer front panel of the frame does test 16k gold. The rest of the thick locket-style frame (glass back) is not gold, just the facing. A hanging loop at top, it is likely to have held lock of hair if it was a gifted painting. I have not opened this up at all, fearing further issue with the hairline. It is possible there could be an artist signature for us within or on a concealed outer border. Certainly the artist had immense skill. The frame is heavy with 2 panels of slightly convex cover glass and the heavy metal of the body of the frame. There are 2 very slight pushes to the outer boded of the gold frame front panel, at about 5 and 7 o'clock positions. One of the most splendid and stunning miniatures I've ever had pleasure to own.
