Pierre Charles Trémolières (Cholet, 1703 - Paris, 1739)
Allegory of Poetry (the Muse Calliope)
Oil on canvas, 112 x 86 cm. (In original lacquered frames 122 x 95 cm.)
Work accompanied by an expertise from Prof. Emilio Negro
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 elevation on which the Temple of Delphi stood and from which the waters of the famous Castalian spring flowed, dedicated to Apollo and populated by the Muses, the source of inspiration and poetry.
Our canvas depicts one of the legendary divinities that inspired creative fervor, who over the centuries acquired a specific influence in the fields of arts and knowledge: in this case, Calliope, the Muse of Poetry, is portrayed, seated on the clouds amidst flowers, with a lyre (accompanying her song) and a trumpet (symbol of fame); elegantly dressed in silk, with her head crowned with buds, she is captured holding a crown of corollas, a sheet of paper, and a voluminous book of poems.
The learned subject illustrated and the peculiar dimensions of the painting suggest that it was originally an elegant "soprapporta" (overdoor) destined to adorn the boiserie of the "studiolo" (study) in an ancestral noble palace owned by a man of letters who loved music and the arts.
With regard to the stylistic characteristics of this Allegory of Poetry, they highlight the work of an artist of the French school active in the 18th century, endowed with an elegantly carefree creative vein and a happy predisposition for easel paintings of a secular theme. The seductive depiction is indeed inspired by the best models of similar subjects produced between France and Italy in the mid-eighteenth century: 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 fluid painting style with bright but nuanced colors, and the effective scenic composition, indeed refer to the best French and Italian figurative culture of the Age of Enlightenment, and the 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 from the Loire region, Trémolières was invited to Paris by the Count of Caylus, his close relative, who managed to have him admitted to the prestigious Parisian workshop of Jean-Baptiste Van Loo, enabling him to win the second prize in 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 called back to his homeland where, at the height of his career, he was appointed responsible for the decorations of the Hôtel de Soubise, one of the most important Parisian residences (now the seat of the French National Archives), working alongside other great painters such as François Boucher and Carle Van Loo.
In 1738, he previewed at the Paris Salon a beautiful painting, 'Hercules and Hebe,' which was later destined to adorn the walls of the aforementioned important noble residence, and 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 a deserved fame that made him one of the most sought-after artists by Parisian nobles and wealthy bourgeois.
Therefore, to support the proposed attribution, it will be sufficient to compare our beautiful Allegory, in addition to 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 (Tajan Auction 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 frame in turquoise lacquered wood 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 see this or other works in person, we will be happy to welcome you to our new gallery in Riva del Garda, at Viale Giuseppe Canella 18. We look forward to seeing you!
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