18th Century French School - Floral Composition

French school of the early 18th century Jean-Baptiste MONNOYER (Entourage de) Lille, 1636 – London, 1699 Oil on canvas laid down on panel 55 x 39 cm (67 x 53 cm with the frame) This is an old canvas , perhaps after a work by Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer. It is of good quality and probably from the same period or from a very close period, from the end of the 17th century or the beginning of the 18th century. The painting represents a bouquet of tulips, carnations, poppies of Christmas roses. It is an artificial composition, a very symbolic work. The red and white tulip is the symbol of passionate and pure love. The poppy flower is the symbol of dreams and rest. And the Christmas rose is both associated with Christmas and therefore with Incarnate Love. But the latter is also associated with black magic, its botanical name is "black hellebore" and it contains poison that burns. Likewise, the poppy has been known since ancient times for its soporific, analgesic and narcotic effects. And the red carnation symbolizes pure and ardent love. So this table has a double meaning. It symbolizes love and its contradictions between purity, calm, rest, danger and passion! An entablature and a decorative element on the right (a piece of column?) make this still life very theatrical. And the octagonal shape of the painting makes the composition particularly decorative. This painting of flowers has a style close to Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer who created with his pupil Jean-Baptiste Blain de Fontenay the decorations of the castles of Louis XIV in the last quarter of the 17th century under the direction of Charles Le Brun. The very faithful translation of botany recalls the Flemish training of these still life painters. The colors are at the same time realistic and very beautiful. The tormented composition with flowers that seem to fall under their own weight is also characteristic of Monnoyer's art. As well as the color palette restricted to reds, whites and pinks with a hint of blue in a fairly cold overall tone.