Pierre-Antoine Lemoine

Vente anonyme, Annonay, Ardèche Enchères SVV, 10 novembre 2007 ;
Acquis chez Jean-François Heim, Paris, en 2009

E. Coatalem, La nature morte française au XVIIe siècle, Dijon, 2014, p. 216 repr. 

On the naked eye : The painting is in overall good condition. We can notice beautiful material effects. The painting is on its original canvas. At the back, we can notice a glue mark hiding an old tear on the lower left corner. Under UV light : The painting appears under a slight green uniform varnish. We can notice a vertical restoration of 6 cm. (2 3/8 in.) high crossing the open peach. We can notice some restorations in the lower right corner, on the grapes. Few very small points of restoration on the vase and on the vine leaves.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

La personnalité et la vie de Pierre-Antoine Lemoine furent pour la première fois signalées et retracées, en 1974 par Michel Faré, un des premiers grands historiens d’art spécialistes de la nature morte en France avec Charles Sterling (voir M. Faré, Le grand siècle de la nature en France, Le XVIIe siècle, Fribourg et Paris, 1974, p. 84), bien avant la réapparition, en 1992, d’une œuvre majeure du peintre, signée et ayant été son morceau de réception à l’Académie, et acquise par le cardinal Mazarin (voir fig. 1). Cette dernière toile est l’une des œuvres les plus marquantes du genre de la nature morte au XVIIe siècle en France. L’apparition sur le marché d’une œuvre de Pierre-Antoine Lemoine constitue en soi un véritable événement.

Au XVIIe siècle, dépassant les frontières des Pays-Bas, le genre de la nature morte connaît une popularité sans précédent et s’impose en France. Pierre-Antoine Lemoine rejoint son homologue Pierre Dupuis lui aussi spécialisé dans les natures mortes de fruits. Reçu à l’Académie royale de Peinture et de Sculpture en 1654, Lemoine jouissait de son vivant d’une grande réputation mais tomba injustement dans l’oubli jusqu’à sa redécouverte en 1992 . Lemoine se démarque par son approche extrêmement réaliste des fruits et un sens aigu de l’observation comme en atteste notre tableau. Il parvient, au travers de son art à traduire les saveurs des fruits qu’il met en scène, donnant à leur texture fraîcheur et volupté. Il nous présente ici une table généreusement garnie de fruits, de feuilles de vignes (récurrentes dans son œuvre) et, élément plus rare, un vase en porcelaine chinoise. Il comble pleinement l’espace de sa composition et joue avec l’ombre et la lumière afin de créer des effets de clair-obscur qui nous évoquent en tout point la tradition romaine initiée par Le Caravage. Cette lumière vibrante n’est pas sans évoquer l’œuvre de Michelangelo Cerquozzi, contemporain de Pierre-Antoine Lemoine et dont les natures mortes ont très certainement inspiré le maître français. Pierre-Antoine Lemoine s’affirme sans conteste comme l’un des personnages clés dans l’histoire de la nature morte française, se présentant comme le digne héritier du caravagisme tout en parvenant à révéler son propre style et à offrir au spectateur une nouvelle perspective de la « vie silencieuse » (voir M. Faré, op. cit.).

The personality and life of Pierre Antoine Lemoine were initially noted and rediscovered in 1974 by Michel Faré, one of the first major art historians specializing in French still lifes along Charles Sterling (consult M. Faré, Le grand siècle de la nature en France, Le XVIIe siècle, Freiburg and Paris, 1974, p. 84). A signed important work by the artist then reappeared  in 1992. It was his reception piece for the Academy (consult fig. 1) and acquired by Cardinal Mazarin. This canvas is one of the most significant works of the still life genre from 17th century France. It is a monumental event when an artwork by Pierre-Antoine Lemoine appears on the market.

During the 17th century, beyond the borders of the Netherlands, the still life genre was experiencing an unprecedented popularity and won over France. Pierre-Antoine Lemoine joined his counterpart Pierre Dupuis and they both specialized in fruit still lifes. Admitted to the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in 1654, Lemoine enjoyed in his lifetime a great reputation but unfortunately fell into oblivion until he was rediscovered in 1992. Lemoine was distinguished by his extremely realistic approach to fruit and keen sense of observation as evident with our painting. He managed, through his art to bring forth the flavors of the staged fruits and give freshness and pleasure to their textures. He presents a painting generously filled with fruits, vine leaves (recurrent in his work), and a rare element, a Chinese porcelain vase. He fully encompasses the space of his composition and plays with shadow and light to create chiaroscuro effects that evoke in every way the Roman tradition initiated by Caravaggio. This vibrant light is reminiscent of the work of Michelangelo Cerquozzi, a contemporary of Pierre-Antoine Lemoine, whose sill lifes certainly inspired the French master. Pierre-Antoine Lemoine is indisputably recognized without question as one of the key figures in the history of the French still life while presenting himself as the heir of Caravaggism. However, he was able to reveal his own style and offered the viewer a new perspective of the “vie silencieuse”(silent life) (consult M. Faré, op. cit. above).