Beschreibung:

Property from an Important Private CollectionJean-Baptiste CharpentierParis 1728 - 1806Amorous couple with a dog and caged doves
signed and dated left above barrel: Charpentier / 17[8]9oil on panelcanvas: 22 by 17⅛ in.; 55.9 by 43.5 cm.framed: 27½by 22⅞in.; 69.9 by 58.1 cm.Condition reportThe work, originally on canvas, has been transferred to a panel which is slightly bowed and the original canvas may be affixed to the verso. The image reads well beneath a predominately clear varnish. The original pattern of craquelure remains visible in some areas, especially in the dark shadows at left. Inspection under UV reveals a milky varnish. There have been at least two campaigns of retouching: one to address the pattern of craquelure from the original canvas and one to strengthen select passages, most especially in the darker tones. The painting can certainly hang in its present condition. Offered in a decorative giltwood frame.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colors and shades which are different to the lot's actual color and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation. The condition report is a statement of opinion only. For that reason, the condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS ONLINE CONDITION REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE/BUSINESS APPLICABLE TO THE RESPECTIVE SALE.ProvenanceAnonymous sale, London, Christie's 25 July 1969, lot 335;
Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 8 July 2005, lot 107;
With Bernheimer Fine Old Masters, 2011;
From whom acquired by the present owner.Catalogue noteA contemporary and close associate of Jean-Baptiste Greuze Jean-Baptiste Charpentier is best known for his charming genre scenes. Though stylistically rooted in eighteenth-century France, thematically this work reveals contemporary taste for seventeenth-century Dutch genre scenes. In this delightful scène galante, an amorous couple converses in the foreground. Nestled in the alcove of a humble village structure, the lovers seem to have caught the eye of a passerby who leads a donkey in the near distance. The young man, his gaze fixed on the object of his affection, extends his arm across the young lady’s lap to offer her a dove.  Perched on his left knee, an empty birdcage possesses both moralizing and erotic associations. The panting lap dog at the hem of the woman’s skirt, a charming detail, contributes to the amorous connotations.