Noël Hallé

Probablement collection Jean de Julienne ;
Probablement sa vente, Paris, Me Martin, 30 mars 1767, lot n°276 ;
Vente anonyme, Châtellerault, Hôtel des ventes, Me Sabourin, 30 novembre 2003, lot n°331 ;
Acquis à cette vente

N. Willk-Brocard, Une dynastie : Les Hallé, Paris, 1995, p. 391-392, n° N68
I. Tillerot, Jean de Julienne et les collectionneurs de son temps. Un regard singulier sur le tableau, Paris, 2010, fig. 38

The painting has been correctly relined in the 19th century with a good quality key stretcher, slightly worm-eaten. The painting has been enlarged on the four sides by about 1,5 cm. (1/2 in.). There are some small liftings by the borders of the frame. There is a thick irregular yellowed varnish. We notice some premature cracks on the upper left corner (sky), the cracks show a blue preparation, some of them were formerly repainted. They do not affect the lecture of the composition. There are small scratches by the frame borders. Under UV light : We notice the old irregular varnish.
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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."

Rares sont les tableaux d’histoire au sein de la collection Louis Grandchamp des Raux mais tous ont été sélectionnés avec pertinence. Noël Hallé, aujourd’hui encore méconnu, fut en effet l’un des plus grands peintres d’histoire du règne de Louis XV : il fit une carrière académique exemplaire, exposa régulièrement au Salon, fut placé à la surveillance des Gobelins puis à la tête de l’Académie de France à Rome et reçut de prestigieuses commandes.

Ce Repos pendant la Fuite en Egypte peut être identifié avec le tableau de la vente Julienne dont la description est précisée dans le catalogue : « la Vierge donne à téter à l’Enfant Jésus ; saint Joseph a le bras gauche appuyé sur l’âne qui mange un chardon ». Il n’était cependant pas rare que Noël Hallé répète ses compositions. Ses Saintes Familles furent notamment très appréciées des amateurs par la douceur de leur traitement évoquant des scènes d’intimité familiale. Ce sont les traits de l’épouse du peintre, Geneviève Lorry, qui ont inspiré ceux de la Vierge dans notre tableau.

L’œuvre peut être datée vers 1755-1760 par sa facture. Une grande sérénité émane de cette composition au clair-obscur délicat et au coloris clair. La touche riche et fluide de Noël Hallé illustre avec une grande douceur toute la tendresse de cette scène familiale.

History paintings in Louis Grandchamp des Raux’s collection are rare but all were selected with relevance. Noël Hallé, whom little is known about today, was in fact one of the greatest history painters during Louis XV’s reign. He had an exemplary academic career, exhibited regularly at the Salon, held a supervisor position at Gobelins then was head of the Academy of France in Rome, and received prestigious commissions.

This Rest on the Flight into Egypt can be identified with the painting auctioned at Julienne whose description was detailed in the catalogue as “The Virgin Mary begins nursing for the infant Jesus; St. Joseph has his left arm resting on a donkey eating a thistle”. However it was common for Noël Hallé to repeat his compositions. His Holy Families were particularly very popular with admirers by the soft handling evoking private family scenes. Furthermore, the features of the painter's wife, Genevieve Lorry, inspired those of the Virgin Mary in our painting.

The work can be dated between 1755-60 based on the workmanship. Great serenity emanates from this composition with a delicate chiaroscuro and light colors. Noël Hallé’s rich and fluid stroke demonstrates very gently all the tenderness in this family scene.