Allegory of Music, Pierre Charles Trémolières (Cholet 1703 - Paris 1739)

Pierre Charles Trémolières (Cholet, 1703 - Paris, 1739) Allegory of Music (the Muse Euterpe) Oil on canvas (112 x 86 cm - In original lacquered frame 122 x 95 cm.) Work accompanied by an expertise from Prof. Emilio Negro Full details of this painting (click HERE) The painting is well preserved and depicts a refined iconography inspired by learned classical literary models linked to the myth of Mount Parnassus, the Greek height where the Temple of Delphi stood and from which the waters of the famous Castalia spring flowed, dedicated to Apollo and populated by the Muses, the source of inspiration and poetry. Our canvas depicts one of the legendary divinities who inspired creative fervor and who, over the centuries, acquired specific influence in the fields of art and knowledge: in this case, Euterpe, the Muse of Music, is portrayed seated on the clouds amidst flowers and musical instruments (lyre, flute, bagpipe), elegantly dressed in silk, with a head crowned with buds, while holding a rolled-up sheet and a volume of musical pages. The learned subject illustrated and the peculiar dimensions of the painting suggest that it was originally an elegant "sopraporta" (overdoor) intended to embellish the boiseries of the "studiolo" (study) in a ancestral noble palace belonging to a scholar who loved music and the arts. Regarding the stylistic characteristics of this Allegory of Music, they highlight the work of an artist of French school active in the 18th century, possessing an elegantly flowing creative vein and a happy predisposition for easel paintings of secular themes. The seductive depiction is indeed inspired by the best models of similar subjects produced between France and Italy in the full Rococo period: primarily the compositions of the French master Jean-Baptiste Van Loo, from whom our Allegory draws inspiration for its refined style imbued with joyful theatricality. Both the type of fluid painting with bright but nuanced colors, and the effective scenographic composition, indeed refer to the best French and Italian figurative culture of the Enlightenment, and comparison with similar works by Pierre Charles Trémolières (Cholet, 1703-Paris, 1739) allows us to connect our painting to the modus operandi of this interesting painter. A talented scion of a noble family originating from the Loire region, Trémolières was invited to Paris by the Count of Caylus, his close relative, who succeeded in having him accepted into the prestigious Parisian workshop of Jean-Baptiste Van Loo, allowing him to win the second prize of the prestigious Grand Prix de Rome (1726) and subsequently be admitted to the French Academy in Rome. After a multi-year stay in the papal capital, by then famous and established, he was recalled to his homeland where, at the peak of his career, he was appointed responsible for the decorations of the Hôtel de Soubise, one of the most important Parisian residences (now home to the French National Archives), working alongside other great painters such as François Boucher and Carle Van Loo. In 1738, he previewed at the Salon de Paris a beautiful painting 'Hercules and Hebe' destined to adorn the walls of the aforementioned important noble residence, which is still found today in the prince's bedroom. Pierre-Charles Trémolières, Hercules and Hebe, Paris, Hôtel de Soubise (Prince's Chamber) (fig. 1) These prestigious commissions, along with the pleasantness of his paintings, earned him deserved fame, making him one of the most sought-after artists by Parisian nobles and wealthy bourgeois. Therefore, to support the proposed attribution, it will suffice to compare our beautiful Allegory, as well as with the work just mentioned, with others attributed to the French master, works in which the refined stylistic elements usually used by Pierre Charles Trémolières similarly stand out. Among these, for example: Pierre-Charles Trémolières, Venus and Cupid (Louvre, Paris) (fig. 2) https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010054925 Pierre-Charles Trémolières, Allegory of Comedy (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York) (fig. 3) https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437844 Pierre-Charles Trémolières, Venus Holding a Bow and Quiver and Cupid Holding an Arrow (Christie's 31.01.2023, Old Master Paintings and Sculpture Online, New York) (fig. 4) https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/old-master-paintings-sculpture-online/pierre-charles-tremolieres-... Pierre-Charles Trémolières, Venus and Cupid (Artcurial, Paris France, November 08, 2011) (fig. 5) https://www.artcurial.com/ventes/1995/lots/31-a Pierre-Charles Trémolières, The Triumph of Galatea (Auction Tajan Paris, June 12, 1995) (fig. 6) Pierre-Charles Trémolières, Flora and Putto, private collection (fig. 7) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The work is completed by a pleasant antique turquoise lacquered wooden frame and is sold with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. We handle and organize the transport of purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. Should you wish to view this or other works in person, we would be pleased to welcome you to our new gallery in Riva del Garda, at Viale Giuseppe Canella 18. We look forward to seeing you! Contact us for any information, we will be happy to answer you. Follow us also on : https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/