Description
Meissonier often depicted artists and musicians of the 1600s and 1700s engaged in their work. This artist is busy painting a small canvas depicting a nymph and satyr. The artist’s 18th-century costume—nearly 100 years out of date at the time of the painting’s creation—transforms the scene into a charming historical fiction. Meissonier exhibited the painting at the Paris Salon of 1857.
Provenance
Countess Lehon [1808-1880], Paris, France, her sale, April 2-3,1861, lot 10, sold to Vente X . . . de Vienne (1861); Vente X . . . de Vienne, 1861, (possibly Georg Plach [1818-1885], Vienna, Austria (1861-1871); G. Simpson, by 1871 (by 1871); John Grant Morris [1811-1897], Allerton Priory, Liverpool, United Kingdom,1883, sold to Samuel P. Avery (1883-1884); (Samuel P. Avery, New York, NY, by 1884, sold to William H. Vanderbilt) (by 1884); William H. Vanderbuilt [1821-1885], New York, NY, by descent to his son, George W. Vanderbuilt; George W. Vanderbilt [1862-1914], New York, NY, by descent to Cornelius Vanderbilt III; Cornelius Vanderbilt III [1983-1942], New York, NY by descent to his widow, Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt III (1919-1945); Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt III, his widow', [1870-1953], New York, NY, consigned to Parke-Bernet for sale (1945); (Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, NY, April 18-19, 1945, sold to Mrs. Derek Spence) (1945); Mrs. Derek Spence [1905-1984], New York, NY, February 1976, consigned to Hammer Gallery (1945-1976); (Hammer Gallery, New York, NY, July 1976, sold to Shepherd Gallery) (1976); (Shephard Gallery, New York, NY, July 1976, sold to Mr. and Mrs. Noah L. Butkin) (1976); Mrs. Noah L. Butkin [1915-2008], Shaker Heights, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art (1976-1982); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1982-)
Accession Number
1982.247
Medium
oil on mahogany
Dimensions
Framed: 39 x 33.5 x 6.5 cm (15 3/8 x 13 3/16 x 2 9/16 in.); Unframed: 27 x 21.1 cm (10 5/8 x 8 5/16 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Noah L. Butkin