Paul Liégeois (active In The 17th Century In Paris), Still Life With Fruit And Goldwork

Paul Liégeois (active in the 17th century in Paris), Still Life with Fruit and GoldsmithingOil on canvasDimension: 86 x 123 cmDimension with frame: 101 x 138 cmReference: Sotheby's, Old Master Paintings sale, Paris, June 17, 2015, Lot 40: Still life by Paul Liégeois based on our composition with some modifications such as the color of the drapery, the piece of goldsmithing but it retains the silver dish, the knife and the general appearance of this work Artist and work: Paul Liégeois was a painter active in France in the mid-17th century, belonging to the generation of artists who contributed to renewing and affirming the still life in the French artistic landscape. He subtly embodies the transition between the first compositions of the "Masters of Reality" – such as Jacques Linard or Louyse Moillon – and the more decorative works that would emerge at the end of the century, such as those of Pierre Dupuis. The establishment of numerous Flemish and Dutch painters in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district of Paris then encouraged a wide diffusion of the genre. Highly prized in the northern countries, still life remained marginalized in France, where history painting, promoted by Charles Le Brun, remained at the top of the hierarchy of the arts. This cosmopolitan artistic center, in the heart of the capital, gave rise to fruitful exchanges between northern and French artists, and played a key role in the evolution of the genre. The work presented is interesting because it marks the stylistic evolution of still life in the 17th century in France, it straddles two styles. By its structure, it still bears witness to the influence of so-called "primitive" artists, with a composition ordered around an entablature crossing the scene horizontally. However, it also reveals the innovative contribution of the artist, who enriches the traditional register by introducing precious elements in the lower part of the scene – like the piece of goldsmithery and the silver dish holding a melon. These refined details, treated with care, announce the splendors to come of the French still life with Monnoyer, and position Liégeois as one of the major artisans of this transformation.