The Divertissement from Voltaire's "La princesse de Navarre"

1745

Gabriel Jacques de Saint-Aubin

Associated Names
Gabriel de Saint-Aubin

Artist, French, 1724 - 1780

The image depicts a scene from an elevated point of view, showing figures and architectural elements clearly. The horizon is implied by a grand structure resembling a temple or stage set, framed by tall columns in the distance. Several figures are on a path, some in elaborate costumes, hinting at a theatrical or historical theme. The artwork features loose, expressive brushstrokes with fine, fluid lines. The monochromatic color palette consists of rich sepia tones, offering a warm and classic feel. Close to us, figures are conversing, while in the distance, more architectural details emerge among trees, seamlessly blending with the scenery.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    red chalk on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund

  • Dimensions

    overall: 14.3 x 17.1 cm (5 5/8 x 6 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1989.5.1

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Dacier 1931, undescribed


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(undeciphered)

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1988

  • European Drawings, Recent Acquisitions. Hazlitt, Gooden & Fox, London, 1988, no. 64.

2009

  • Renaissance to Revolution: French Drawings from the National Gallery of Art, 1500-1800. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2009, 150-151, 284, no. 64 (color).

Bibliography

1929

  • Dacier, Emile. Gabriel de Saint-Aubin, peintre, dessinateur et graveur. 2 vols. Paris, 1929-1931 (undescribed).

Inscriptions

recto: by a later hand in graphite, across bottom: Princesse de Navarre; verso: in graphite in later hand at lower right: 50

Markings

recto: at lower left, unidentified collector's mark in black ink (interlaced P and C?); verso: none

Wikidata ID

Q64570996

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