Jean- Baptiste Monnoyer Original Antique 17th Century Franco- Flemish Floral Still Life Oil Painting
Original antique floral still life oil on board painting of roses, peonies, blue cosmos, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, and other flowers in a basket on a Louis XIV era French ivory- washed carved table, by 17th- century Louis XIV Franco- Flemish Royal Court painter, Jean- Baptiste Monnoyer, (1636-1699). The table has a carved design that resembles heart shapes, and was likely a gift for a loved one. The painting is an oil on board panel, and is awash in vibrant color. The painting is in very good to excellent original condition, and is signed in the lower right. The painting measures appeoximately 14" x 14", sans frame. In frame, the entire artwork measures approximately 16.75" x 16.75". The painting is still housed in the original antique frame, and is in stable condition, but could use restoration. Please carefully review all images as a necessary and supplemental addition to the written condition report, for quality assurance.
Jean- Baptiste Monnoyer, (1636-1699), was a prominent Franco- Flemish painter, renowned for his opulent floral still life paintings, and decorative arts, who is often referred to in historice records as simply "Baptiste". Monnoyer became a benchmark for flower painting during the reign of Louis XIV.
Born in Lille, France, Jean- Baptiste Monnoyer is thought to have received his early artistic training in Antwerp, where he was influenced by Flemish Masters, such as Jan Davidsz de Heem.
By 1650, Monnoyer was in Paris working on the decors of the Hotel Lambert. He later joined the circle of Charles Lebrun, the primary painter for Louis XIV, contributing to the Royal residences, including Versailles, Vincennes, and Marly.
Monnoyer was received into the Academie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture in 1665, with a specialist piece, combining flowers with ojects d' art.
Monnoyer's work extended beyond traditional canvas painting into high- end decorative design. He was attached to the Gobelin and Beauvals Tapestry workshops, where he produced "cartoons", (preliminary designs for floral and fruit motifs). He also published a book, "Le Livre de toutes sortes de fleurs d' apres nature", ("Books of All Kinds of Flowers from Nature"); a collection of botanically- accurate engravings that became an essential resource for 18th- Century decorative designers.
In 1690, Monnoyer relocated to London, at the invitation of Ralph Montagu. English commissions were numerous. Monnoyer produced over 50 panels for Montagu House, (now the site if the British Museum), and worked at Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, and Hampton Court, in England. He also collaborated with other artists, such as Godfrey Kneller, providing floral elements for portraits.
Jean- Baptiste Monnoyer passed away in London on February 20, 1699. His legacy was carried on by his son, Antoine Monnoyer, who was also a flower painter.
Jean- Baptiste Monnoyer's works are widely distributed across major international museums and historic estates, reflecting his significant influence on 17th- century European floral art. Major international museum collections include the Musee du Louvre in Paris, the Palace of Versailles, and the Grand Trianen.
Important works are also held in regional museums such as the Musee des Beaux- Arts in Lille Orleans, Rouen, and the Musee Fabre, in Montpellier.
In the UK, Monnoyer's work is held in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, (the V&A), the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, and the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.
In the United States, Jean- Baptiste Monnoyer's work is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.
Other museum collections include the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg and the Museo National Thyssen- Bornemisza, in Madrid.
Due to his prolific career as a decorative artist for the aristocracy, many of Jean- Baptiste Monnoyer's paintings remain in situ, or in the care of heritage organizations such as the National Trust (UK), and at properties such as Stourhead, Belton House, Dyrham Park, and Nostell Priory.
Royal collections include Historical Royal Palaces such as Hampton Court, Kensington Palace, and Windsor Castle Chiswick House.
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