ticketsMember | Make a donation

Brother Philippe's Geese

ca. 1736
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 629
Jean de La Fontaine’s Fables include the story of the widower Philippe, who adopts a hermit’s robes and retreats to a mountain cave where he and his son live free from temptation. Eventually, however, Philippe takes his son out into the world and they encounter a party of young women. When the youth asks about them, his father says they are “a party of geese.” “Father, I beg you, let us take one [with us].” Lancret indicated the women’s elevated social status by including the likely enslaved African servant who shades them with a parasol.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Brother Philippe's Geese
  • Artist: Nicolas Lancret (French, Paris 1690–1743 Paris)
  • Date: ca. 1736
  • Medium: Oil on copper
  • Dimensions: 10 3/4 x 13 7/8 in. (27.3 x 35.2 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Walter and Leonore Annenberg and The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 2004
  • Object Number: 2004.86
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
The Servant Justified, Nicolas Lancret French, Oil on copper
The Servant Justified
Nicolas Lancret
ca. 1740
Plate with scene from "Les Oies de Frère Philippe", Nicolas Lancret French, Porcelain, Chinese, made for export
Plate with scene from "Les Oies de Frère Philippe"
Nicolas Lancret
ca. 1745
Le Théâtre Italien (The Italian Theatre)
Nicolas Lancret
Georg Friedrich Schmidt
18th century
Paté d'Anguille, Nicolas Lancret French, Red chalk, over traces of black chalk; squared in black chalk
Paté d'Anguille
Nicolas Lancret
Gabriel de Saint-Aubin
n.d.
Two Studies of Reclining Youth, Nicolas Lancret French, Red chalk, heightened with a little white, on beige paper
Two Studies of Reclining Youth
Nicolas Lancret
early 18th century

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.