Charles Meynier (b. Paris 1768, d. s.p. 1832) “Alexandre cédant Campaspe à Apelle”. Alexander the Great giving Campaspe to Apelles. C. 1822. Unsigned. Oil on canvas laid on cardboard. 23.8×32.2 cm. The young artist is Alexander the Great's court painter, Apelles, whom ancient writers considered the greatest artist of their time. According to Pliny's Natural History of 77 A.D., Alexander commissioned Apelles to paint a portrait of his favorite concubine, Campaspe. The story illustrates art's transformative powers: Apelles fell in love with his sitter as he captured her beauty on canvas. Alexander so esteemed his painter that he presented Campaspe to Apelles as a reward for the portrait. This newly discovered study for the final painting commisioned in 1822 by l'École de peinture et de sculpture de Rennes (now at musée des Beaux-Arts, Rennes) is very reminiscent to another sketch acquired in 2013 by the same museum. The sketches, although very similar, varies a bit for instance in the colour of the draperies covering Campaspe's knee. It was not uncommon for Meynier to paint several sketches for imporant commisions in particular for public ones. It is possible that this painting is one of four studies for the composition which appears under no. 43 in the artist's estate sale in 1832 even though the term “sketch” was used for drawings as well. Literature: Isabelle Mayer-Michalon: “Charles Meynier (1763–1832) supplément au catalogue raisonné” in Les Cahiers d'Histoire de l'Art, 2019, vol. 17, cat. no. 32, discussed and reproduced p. 118. Provenance: Master carpenter H. Højlund. Winkel & Magnussen auction 308, 1944, no. 235 (as C. A. Lorentzen). Purchased here by antique dealer S. Sørensen, Odense. Private collection, Copenhagen. We are grateful to Isabelle Mayer-Michalon for confirming the attribution to Meynier upon first-hand inspection.
Condition
Charles Meynier (b. Paris 1768, d. s.p. 1832) “Alexandre cédant Campaspe à Apelle”. Alexander the Great giving Campaspe to Apelles. C. 1822. Unsigned. Oil on canvas laid on cardboard. 23.8×32.2 cm. The young artist is Alexander the Great's court painter, Apelles, whom ancient writers considered the greatest artist of their time. According to Pliny's Natural History of 77 A.D., Alexander commissioned Apelles to paint a portrait of his favorite concubine, Campaspe. The story illustrates art's transformative powers: Apelles fell in love with his sitter as he captured her beauty on canvas. Alexander so esteemed his painter that he presented Campaspe to Apelles as a reward for the portrait. This newly discovered study for the final painting commisioned in 1822 by l'École de peinture et de sculpture de Rennes (now at musée des Beaux-Arts, Rennes) is very reminiscent to another sketch acquired in 2013 by the same museum. The sketches, although very similar, varies a bit for instance in the colour of the draperies covering Campaspe's knee. It was not uncommon for Meynier to paint several sketches for imporant commisions in particular for public ones. It is possible that this painting is one of four studies for the composition which appears under no. 43 in the artist's estate sale in 1832 even though the term “sketch” was used for drawings as well. Literature: Isabelle Mayer-Michalon: “Charles Meynier (1763–1832) supplément au catalogue raisonné” in Les Cahiers d'Histoire de l'Art, 2019, vol. 17, cat. no. 32, discussed and reproduced p. 118. Provenance: Master carpenter H. Højlund. Winkel & Magnussen auction 308, 1944, no. 235 (as C. A. Lorentzen). Purchased here by antique dealer S. Sørensen, Odense. Private collection, Copenhagen. We are grateful to Isabelle Mayer-Michalon for confirming the attribution to Meynier upon first-hand inspection.
Condition
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
