Young Collectors


Pair of rectangular paintings in compigné representing a riverside landscape

35 000 
X

    • Description
    • Histoire

    France, second half of the xviiith century

    Attributed to Thomas Compigné

    Pewter, gold leaf and silver

    Gouache, colored varnishes

     

    Height: 12,5 cm – 5 inches

    Width: 17 cm – 7 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 riverside landscapes, animated with figures navigating on the water. Rectangular in shape, each work is executed on a sheet of stamped tin, enhanced with silver, gold leaf, and gouache. This skillful blend of materials creates a perfect union between painting and engraving. In the first painting, the scene shows, in the foreground, the winding bank of a river. A solitary figure, standing with his back turned, gazes at the water stretching into the distance. The horizontal silver-toned lines used to depict the river evoke a flat and tranquil surface. Two men are busy bringing their boat to shore. On the opposite bank to the left, a hamlet emerges, while two sailing boats appear in the distance. Another hamlet, similar to the first, can be glimpsed through sparse vegetation. The second painting offers a similar scene. Three calm bodies of water, separated by winding banks, structure the composition. On one, a horseman rides across the scene. On another, a figure seen from behind walks along the riverbank. In the background, a hamlet rises amid lush vegetation. A sailing boat and another vessel moored along the banks complete the view. Touches of gold in varied tones highlight certain details, creating contrasts and shadows that give the whole a delicate relief and subtle shimmer. The skies, painted in gouache in soft bluish-pink hues, reflect the gentle colors of a late afternoon. This chromatic range transitions harmoniously from rose to the deeper greys of the clouds, with birds flying overhead. Each painting is set in a frame decorated with gold borders, a pearl frieze, and 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.