Attributed To Jeanne élisabeth Chaudet (1761–1832) - Cupid Holding His Arrow - Oil

Attributed to JeanneÉlisabeth CHAUDET
(Paris, 1761 – Paris,1832) 

Cupid holding his arrow 

Oil on oval canvas
33 x 26.5 cm 

Élisabeth Chaudet, born Gabiou in Paris on January 23,1767, was a French painter active at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Trainedin a context where female artists struggled to achieve recognition, shenevertheless made a name for herself thanks to the finesse of her portraits andallegorical scenes, often imbued with tenderness and elegance.
The wife of the neoclassical sculptor Antoine-DenisChaudet, Élisabeth Chaudet moved within a prominent artistic circle during theConsulate and the Empire. Sheexhibited several works at the Salon, notably portraits of children,mythological figures, and religious compositions. Herdelicate and precise style is in keeping with the neoclassical tradition whileretaining her own distinctive sensibility, marked by emotion and intimacy.
Élisabeth Chaudet died on April 18, 1832, in Paris. 

This delicate portrait depicts a young Cupid emergingfrom the clouds, his cheek rosy and his mischievous gaze turned toward theviewer. Hisshoulder is encircled by a blue ribbon, and he holds an arrow in his hand, atraditional attribute of the god of love. Thegentle atmosphere and the finesse of the modeling attest to the neoclassicalsensibility of Élisabeth Chaudet, an artist renowned for her portraits ofchildren and mythological figures. Thecomposition blends childlike grace and celestial lightness, in a refined styletypical of the post-revolutionary era.
Another version of our painting, very similar and signedby Élisabeth Chaudet, is known, allowing this attribution. 

Museums:Ajaccio, Arras, Fontainebleau, Paris (Louvre Museum, Marmottan Museum),Florence, Rome, Arenenberg…