This enchanting 18th-century painting, depicting Venus with Cupid, captures in every detail the essence of French Rococo, a style renowned for its elegance and the delicacy of its subjects, often linked to love and mythology.

This is a work of great merit, attributed to the French master Noël Hallé (Paris, 1711–1781), who conceived this subject, entitled ‘Le Midi’, around 1746. The composition, in particular, was part of an allegorical series of overdoor panels depicting the four times of day. They were originally commissioned by the French aristocratic financier Jean-François Gaillard de La Bouëxière from the architect Antoine-Mathieu Le Carpentier – with whom Hallé frequently collaborated – to decorate his villa in Paris.

The work’s iconographic success came in 1753, when Hallé also exhibited them at the Salon de Paris: from that point onwards, these designs were frequently replicated, in different sizes and with varying levels of artistic execution. Today, they can be found in public collections or on the antiques market. One such example, signed and dated, appeared at a Christie’s Monaco auction on 7 December 1991 (lot 48, https://rkd.nl/imageslite/1024008 ).

At the centre, a splendid Venus reclining on a bed of soft, billowing clouds, which lend the whole a sense of ethereal lightness, captured in a moment of tenderness as she receives an affectionate kiss from the little Cupid, emphasising the theme of tender love.

Her body assumes a soft, sinuous pose, typical of the taste of the era, and the light drapery emphasises the grace characteristic of the classical deities portrayed during this period. On the right, another cherub plays carefree with doves, universal symbols of Venus and peace, lending dynamism and vitality.

From a stylistic point of view, too, we are faced with a triumph of Rococo canons, a style that succeeded in interpreting the peculiarities of French society under the Ancien Régime through painting. Alongside Noël Hallé, the undisputed masters of this period, we must also mention the great François Boucher and Jean-Honoré Fragonard, each with their own stylistic characteristics, taking the grace and playfulness of the Rococo to the highest levels.

Hallé expressed himself through more composed and academic forms, and his figures possess a more defined solidity, compared to Boucher, who, on the other hand, focused entirely on sensuality and the richness of decorative details. As for the choice of colours, the painter typically employed a delicate palette, dominated by pastel tones, the pure white of the clouds and the rosy complexion of the figures.

The soft lighting seems to make the figures float in the sky, conveying a sense of serenity, where only the celebration of ideal beauty and the joy of life shines through – central elements in 18th-century French aristocratic commissions.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The work is sold complete with a frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.

We arrange and organise the transport of purchased works, both within Italy and abroad, using professional and insured carriers.

It is also possible to view the painting at our gallery in Riva del Garda; we would be delighted to welcome you to view our collection of works.

Please feel free to contact us for any further information.

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