Allegory of Louis XV as Patron of the Arts with Paintings and Sculpture from the Salon of 1769
Ironically, it was Gabriel de Saint-Aubin, whose aspirations to become a member of the Académie Royale were never realized, who provided posterity with visual records of the biennial Salons held in the Palais du Louvre to showcase new work by its members. His drawings of the Salons ranged from fully realized views of the exhibitions with visitors to thumbnail sketches of individual works made in the margins of the accompanying brochures. This work is a hybrid, in which sketches of paintings and sculptures on view in the Salon of 1769 were initially drawn in chalk in bands across the sheet, then later worked up in oil paint, and finally embellished with allegorical figures of the arts descending upon clouds to honor King Louis XV as a great patron, presenting his portrait to the viewer.
Perrin Stein, March 2015
Perrin Stein, March 2015
Artwork Details
- Title: Allegory of Louis XV as Patron of the Arts with Paintings and Sculpture from the Salon of 1769
- Artist: Gabriel de Saint-Aubin (French, Paris 1724–1780 Paris)
- Date: ca. 1769
- Medium: Oil paint over black chalk underdrawing, areas of paper reserve, on off-white laid paper, mounted on pasteboard, varnished
- Dimensions: Sheet: 8 3/8 × 5 5/8 in. (21.3 × 14.3 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2009
- Object Number: 2009.396
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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