Description
A category of painting invented in France in the early 1700s is the fête galante (gallant party), with subject matter that hovers between fantasy and reality. The figures in theatrical costume derive from Italian street performers seen in Paris, while the playful outdoor garden party connects to leisure activities enjoyed by certain Parisian elites. The arts of conversation, music, and painting—all highly valued by French aristocracy—intersect in this work.
Provenance
William Sharp Ogden (1845-1926), Finchley, London; (Sale: Christie’s, London, December 6, 1927, no. 50) (December 6, 1927); [Wildenstein & Co., New York, NY]; Elisabeth Severance Prentiss (Mrs. Francis Fleury Prentiss) (1865-1944), Cleveland, OH, gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art (1928-1944); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1944-)
Accession Number
1944.86
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
Framed: 103 x 90.5 x 9 cm (40 9/16 x 35 5/8 x 3 9/16 in.); Unframed: 80.1 x 64 cm (31 9/16 x 25 3/16 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Collection
