Young Collectors


Pair of Compigné paintings depicting a view of the surroundings of Utrecht and a view of the Ypres canal at Furnes

35 000 
X

    • Description
    • Histoire

    France, second half of the 18th century

    Attributed to Thomas Compigné

    Tin, gold, and silver leaf

    Gouache, tinted varnishes

     

    Hauteur : 19 cm – 7 1⁄2 inches

    Largeur : 23 cm – 9 18 inches

     

    Comparable works:

    -  Attributed to Thomas Compigné, View of the Ypres Canal at Furnes, second half of the 18th century, Galerie Léage collection.

    -  Attributed to Thomas Compigné, Pair of Compigné panels, View of the Surroundings of Utrecht and View of the Ypres Canal at Furnes, second half of the 18th century, Galerie Léage collection.

     

    This pair of Compigné paintings depicts two riverbank landscapes animated with figures navigating the waterways. Each rectangular composition is executed on embossed tin sheeting, enhanced with silver, gold leaf, and gouache. This refined blend of materials results in a seamless fusion of painting and engraving. The first panel shows, in the foreground, the winding bank of a river. A lone figure, seen from behind, stands contemplatively, gazing out over the water that stretches into the distance. The engraved horizontal lines—tinted with green gouache —used to render the river convey a sense of still and placid water. Two men are shown docking their boat. On the opposite bank to the left, a small hamlet stands out, while two sailboats appear in the distance. A second, similar hamlet emerges from scattered vegetation. The second panel offers a similar composition. Three calm, peaceful bodies of water, interspersed with curving banks, structure the composition. On one bank, a rider crosses the scene on horseback. On another, a figure seen from behind walks along the shoreline. In the background, a hamlet rises amidst lush foliage. A sailboat and a small, moored craft complete the scene. Highlights of gold, in varied tonalities, accentuate every detail—excluding the water—creating subtle contrasts and shadow effects that endow the composition with delicate relief and shimmering nuance. The skies, painted in gouache in bluish and sometimes pink hues, evoke the gentle colors of late afternoon. The chromatic range harmoniously transitions from pink to blue, supported by greying clouds and birds in flight. Each painting is set within a frame adorned with gilt borders, a frieze of pearls, and stylised waterleaf motifs.

    Bibliography

    • Les Compignés et leurs créateurs, ces délicats chefs‑d’œuvre de la tabletterie au XVIIIe siècle, Plaisir de France, no. 427, March 1975.
    • Compigné, peintre et tabletier du Roy, exhibition catalogue, Grasse, Villa-Musée Jean-Honoré Fragonard, June–July 1991.