Jean-Baptiste Belin de Fontenay, (Caen 1653-1715 Paris)

A still life with a bust of Bacchus, a dish of fruit, large platters and two figures looking on

A still life with a bust of Bacchus, a dish of fruit, large platters and two figures looking on
oil on canvas
145.7 x 195.2cm (57 3/8 x 76 7/8in).

Provenance
Private Collection, France, since the beginning of 20th century, by whom offered
Sale, Christie's, Paris, 26 June 2008, lot 33 (as property of a Noble family of the South West of France)
Private Collection, Dubai

A pupil of Jean Baptiste Monnoyer and later his son-in-law, Jean-Baptiste Belin de Fontenay was a prolific still life painter in France in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. In around 1687 he attracted the attention of King Louis XIV with his vast and lavish depiction of a gold bust of the king with an ornate vase of flowers, armour and a cornucopia beneath, now in the Musée du Louvre (190 x 162cm, inv. no. 4464). This work led to his employment and subsequent painting of many decorative schemes across the royal chateaux, such as Fontainebleau and Versailles where he painted the Escalier de la Reine which has since been destroyed.

The present composition can be compared to a similar work in a private collection, where the same bust of Bacchus is surrounded by garlands of flowers and a black page is carrying a tray of fruit (see: P. Mauriès, Le Trompe-l'oeil de l'antiquité au XXème siècle, Paris, 1996, pp. 206-207, ill.). Chronologically our painting comes close to Fleurs, fruits, animaux et pièces d'orfeverie, in the Manufacture de Sèvres which is signed and dated 1697, and depicts a similar woven basket and dish. The abundance of detail in both works are very characteristic of Fontenay's style during the opulent reign of Louis XIV.

It is likely that the present work formed part of a decorative scheme, possibly showing the four seasons, and, given the perspective of the basket, intended to be hung high up.

We are grateful to Mr. Fabrice Faré for confirming this attribution after inspection of the original, at the time of the Christie's sale.
We also thank Ms. Claudia Salvi who, at the time of the Christie's sale, considered that the picture was painted by Jean-Baptiste Belin de Fontenay with the participation of his studio.