Coppia di nature morte di fiori
Antoine Monnoyer (Parigi 1671 - Paris Saint Germain-en-Laye 1747) attribuibile
Antoine Monnoyer the Younger (Paris 1671 – Paris Saint-Germain-en-Laye 1747), attributed to
Pair of floral still lifes
Early 18th century
Oil on canvas
52 x 65 cm.
With carved and gilded wooden frames. 66 x 79 cm.
This splendid pair of paintings forms a pendant of still lifes featuring floral compositions: both canvases depict rich bouquets of colourful flowers (including roses, carnations, daffodils, tulips and anemones), with iridescent colours elegantly arranged together.
The flowers, arranged with a studied asymmetry, are set in an outdoor setting and seem almost to spill over the natural rock formations typical of Baroque garden settings. The canvases are characterised by a dark, almost uniform background, which serves to bring out the brilliance and chromatic vibrancy of the petals with absolute prominence, a refined technique that lends a strong sense of three-dimensionality.
From an attributional point of view, it is easy to identify the elements and stylistic conventions typical of the floral compositions of the Monnoyer family, the undisputed masters of Franco-Flemish still life at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, a tradition led by the famous Jean-Baptiste and his son Antoine Monnoyer, whose artistic style is distinguished precisely by this type of sumptuous, dense and highly decorative composition.
Looking at the works in detail, we are inclined to attribute them, in particular, to Antoine Monnoyer (Paris 1671 – Paris Saint-Germain-en-Laye 1747), recognisable by the elegant structure of the composition combined with the characteristic freshness and brilliance of the colours.
After likely training in London at his father Jean Baptiste’s studio, Antoine moved to Paris, a city that became one of the main hubs of his artistic career, quickly establishing himself within the prestigious artistic circles of the French capital. At the height of his success, he left France for a study trip to Rome and then embarked on a career that took him to various European courts, including Sweden, where he decorated the Royal Palace in Stockholm, with extended stays in England, particularly in London, where the family enjoyed the patronage of important clients and royalty.
The paintings of the French artist – nicknamed ‘Young Baptist’ for having perpetuated and developed his father’s great pictorial tradition – are imbued with a soft sensuality derived from the sinuous movement of the flowers, intertwined in a sort of melody that unites them within a broader Baroque aesthetic. Finally, the interplay of the colour palette is beautiful, especially between the deep red and the blue, which lends the composition a masterful and final lyrical touch.
The paintings are in excellent condition and are enhanced by beautiful carved and gilded period wooden frames, whose geometric motifs and acanthus leaf details at the corners amplify their theatrical character, evoking their original purpose for the salons of the 18th-century aristocracy.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
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