Replica of 'Interior of the Studio of Van Dael and his students at the Sorbonne'

Replica of 'Interior of the Studio of Van Dael and his students at the Sorbonne'

Artist Philippe Jacques van Bree (French or Belgian, 1786–1871)

Date1816

Mediumoil on canvas

Dimensionscanvas: 47 × 58 cm (18 1/2 × 22 13/16 in.)
framed: 64.5 × 74 × 7.5 cm (25 3/8 × 29 1/8 × 2 15/16 in.)

ClassificationsPaintings

Credit LineStoddard Acquisition Fund

Terms

Object number2016.12

Label TextAlthough this painting is described as a sketch (“esquisse”) in the inscription at left, it is better understood as a replica, made for the flower painter Jan Frans Van Dael, whose studio is depicted here. Van Dael kept this work in his possession until he died. The room shown here was a former chapel, deconsecrated in the French Revolution and repurposed as studios for artists in 1802. Nine painters and sculptors shared the building, and the site was famously social. Van Dael’s studio uniquely had access to a large garden, seen at right. The details reveal how a flower painter operated. The cases of beetles, butterflies, and birds, many imported from the New World, show how artists could present these animals so accurately. A case of wax or silk flowers in the background demonstrates how floral painting was a year-round enterprise. The antiquities and modern sculpture not only serve as props for the artists but also testify to the seriousness of their practice: flower painting is a learned, scientific pursuit, with roots in classical antiquity. Van Dael himself appears in an oval portrait at right and the completed paintings displayed around the room are known works by the artist. The inscription on the back wall (“as flowers are to gardens, so are the arts to life”) elevates the tone, and the work fits into a broader trend in French art around 1800 that celebrated artist studios.ProvenanceJan Frans van Dael (1764-1840); sold at Estate of van Dael sale, Paris, May 19/20, 1840; private collection; sold Hotel Drouot, Paris, January 12, 1860; David David-Weill (1871-1952); upon his death, held in trust by the estate; sold at Estate of David-Weill sale, Hotel Drouot, Paris, June 10, 1871; private collection; sold at Daguerre, Paris, to Talabardon et Gautier, February 27, 2013; sold to the Worcester Art Museum, 2016.

On View

On view