Name: ÉCOLE FRANÇAISE DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE, SUIVEUR DE FRANÇOIS BOUCHER
Brand: L'Odalisque
Price: 8000.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

ÉCOLE FRANÇAISE DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE, SUIVEUR DE FRANÇOIS BOUCHER
L'Odalisque
huile sur toile
59,3 x 70,4 cm (23¹⁄₃ x 27³⁄₄ in.)

FRENCH SCHOOL 18th CENTURY, FOLLOWER OF FRANÇOIS BOUCHER, THE ODALISQUE, OIL ON CANVAS

L'Odalisque brune by Boucher (1703-1770), painted in the 1740s (Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. RF 2140), embodies the fantasy of a carefree, libertine society, as well as the luxury of a softly padded interior, that has come to define the modern concept of 18th-century France. Yet the intimacy depicted in these paintings was not as open as later generations claimed. L'Odalisque brune in the Louvre remained a secret and was never exhibited at the Salon during the artist's lifetime.

The scene probably takes its bold iconography from a popular work, the Sopha, written by Crébillon (1707-1777) and first published clandestinely in 1740. In this moral tale, Amanzeï, the victim of a spell, is transformed into a sofa and subjected to the erotic antics of the various lovers who frolic on it. At the end of the story, the sofa is transported to the bedroom of the young Zeïnis, described as having luxurious ornaments and perfume burner, just as in Boucher's painting. The deliberately provocative story finishes with an erotic scene between the young Amanzéï - still in the form of a sofa - and Zeïnis.

Although the genesis of this work remains a mystery, various versions appeared during the eighteenth century. An engraving of the composition published in 1765, the year Boucher became First Painter to the King, was circulated under the title Le Réveil (fig. 1). The intention was possibly malicious, intended to discredit the painter by revealing his most brazen compositions.

Diderot (1713-1784) also commented on Boucher's work, which he appears to have known from a painting rather than the print, making the unfounded suggestion that it was a representation of the painter's wife. It is possible that the philosopher had seen a version made for the collector Le Riche de La Popelinière (1692-1762) that was sold at public auction in 1763 (possibly the version now in the Louvre). Another version of this composition is described in the posthumous sale catalogue of the Marquis de Marigny in 1782 (18 March-6 April 1782, lot 23). The Musée de Reims also has a very fine version dated 1743, stolen during the war, this version will hopefully one day be restituted to its rightful owners (inv. M.N.R. 61). Finally, Wildenstein lists several other versions that may in fact be the same as those listed above (see A. Ananoff, François Boucher, Genève, 1976, I, pp. 380-381).

The present version, very close to that in the Louvre, would have been part of the confidential diffusion of this licentious image in the 18th century. The artist must have known one of Boucher's early versions, as this example is not after the engraving, which is in the opposite direction and has some minor changes in the woman's head that aren't seen in the present painting.

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Français

Le tableau présente très bien à la lumière naturelle, tous les détails de la composition et la profondeur des couleurs étant bien préservés.

La toile a fait l'objet d'un rentoilage. La toile est maintenue sous tension sur un châssis à clés et reste stable. Le processus de rentoilage, relativement strict, a aplati la couche picturale supérieure à certains endroits, notamment dans les drapés blancs et bleus.

À la lumière naturelle, un fin réseau de craquelures est visible sur la surface de la peinture, notamment dans les tons plus pâles, tels que les tons chair et la draperie blanche. La matière reste stable. On constate quelques traces mineures de retouches, notamment le long du bord inférieur de la composition.

L'examen sous lumière UV confirme les observations ci-dessus. Il révèle quelques retouches associées à une couture horizontale de toile qui s'étend sur toute la largeur de la composition à approx. 10 cm du bord supérieur. Juste en-dessous de la couture de la toile, s'étendant horizontalement à partir du bord gauche, se trouve une déchirure restaurée de la toile, qui mesure approx. 15 cm. Une autre déchirure s'étend horizontalement depuis le bord gauche et mesure approx. 10 cm dans le coin inférieur gauche. Trois autres petites déchirures s'étendent horizontalement à partir du bord droit : deux dans le coin supérieur et une au centre du bord droit. Il y a cinq autres petites déchirures au centre de la composition : trois dans le corps du modèle et deux dans la literie. D'autres petites retouches ponctuelles sont visibles sur la surface de la composition. Des retouches sont visibles le long des bords de la toile, probablement suite à l'abrasion du cadre.

English

The painting presents very well in natural light with all the details of the composition and the depth of colour well preserved.

The canvas has been subject to relining, it is held under tension on a keyed stretcher and remains stable. The relining process, which is relatively strict, has flattened the upper paint layers in certain areas, notably in the white and blue drapery.

In natural light, a fine network of craquelure can be seen across the paint surface, notably in the paler tones, such as the flesh tones and the white drapery. The paint remains stable. There are some minor traces of retouching, notably to the bottom edge of the composition.

Examination under UV light confirms the above observations. It reveals some retouching associated with a horizontal canvas seam that runs the length of the composition approximately 10 cm from the upper edge. Just below the canvas seem extending in horizontally from the left-hand edge is a restored tear to the canvas, which measures approximately 15 cm. There is a further tear extending and horizontally from the left edge measuring approximately 10 cm in the lower left-hand corner. There are three more minor tears extending in horizontally from the right hand edge: two in the upper corner and one to the centre of the right hand edge. There are five more minor tears to the centre of the composition: three in the body of the model and two in the bedding. There is some further minor scattered retouching across the surface of the composition. There is retouching visible to the canvas edges likely the result of historic frame abrasion.

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