Lot n° 120
Estimation :
60000 - 80000
EUR
Result without fees
Result
: 72 000EUR
Jean-Baptiste de CHAMPAIGNE (1631 - 1681). - Lot 120
Jean-Baptiste de CHAMPAIGNE (1631 - 1681).
Alexander the Great offering animals to his teacher Aristotle.
Oil on canvas
Size : 35x60 cm
(Old restorations, several missing parts, especially on the right).
Bears an inscription in the upper left corner on the red undercoat: Pour l'Antichambre du Roy /
Dedicated to mercury / Alexander who ordered Aristotle to write the / natural history of animals
After having painted the decor of the apartments of the Dauphin Louis de France in the Tuileries between 1660 and 1671,
Jean-Baptiste de Champaigne received the prestigious commission to paint the ceiling of the Salon de Mercure for the
apartments of the Château de Versailles in 1672. Our painting, with the spandrels in reserve
is a modello for the north arch, below the central compartment with the "Triumph of Mercury" on his chariot (for
Mercury" on his chariot (for which there is also a preparatory sketch in the national museum of the castle).
The three other compartments on the other sides of the room also illustrate subjects that are very rarely represented: Alexander receiving the news of the death of the Indian philosopher Calanus, who was immolated by fire,
Ptolemy II Philadelphus talking with Jewish scholars, the emperor Augustus receiving an embassy
of Indians.
As Guillet de Saint-Georges noted in 1690, these ancient subjects of scientific progress or
of scientific progress or openness to distant peoples were assimilated to the actions of Louis XIV. Alexander the Great encouraged
his former tutor Aristotle to complete his "History of Animals", a treatise on zoological classification
the time, by having him deliver rare species from his hunts or from distant expeditions.
expeditions. On the other hand, it is to Louis XIV that we owe the first zoological garden in which the animals are grouped according to
animals are grouped according to their natural habitat. In 1662, he created the royal menagerie of
Versailles next to what was still only a hunting lodge and which was enriched by diplomatic gifts
an elephant from the Congo sent by the King of Portugal, crocodiles sent by the King of Siam
King of Siam ...
Our sketch is similar to the final composition in its entire left-hand side, where we see the king
is seen addressing his master while writing, while the right part has been deeply modified. In our painting, caged eagles
canvas, caged eagles, a sheep, and hens are presented to him; while in the final picture
replaced by an alligator firmly held by two servants, a mallard, and fish and shellfish on the ground.
fish and shellfish on the ground. One can assume that the sponsors of the administration, including Charles
Le Brun, who coordinated the entire royal project, preferred an exotic wild animal to decorate the room, rather than
rather than common farm animals.
After having been the assistant of his uncle Philippe de Champaigne and having climbed the ladder of honors, received at the
the Royal Academy in 1663, Jean-Baptiste de Champaigne gave his most classical, "atticist" compositions at Versailles.
classical, "atticist" compositions. They were noticed by the critics as more stylised, more Hellenistic and
archaeological details, in comparison with the decorations of other painters in other salons (Coypel
other salons (Coypel, La Fosse, Jouvenet, Audran, Houasse).
Provenance: Private mansion in Poitou. In the same family by descent since the end of the 19th century.
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