Pietro Longhi, The Awakening of the Lady, 18th Century, Oil Painting on Canvas, Framed

Details

Description

Pietro longhi (venice, 1701 - 1785) circle

the awakening of the lady

oil on canvas

73 x 56 cm. - … Read more Pietro longhi (venice, 1701 - 1785) circle

the awakening of the lady

oil on canvas

73 x 56 cm. - framed 85 x 69 cm.

full painting details (click here)

anyone who wants to understand the social life of eighteenth-century venice, entering the homes of the nobles and bourgeoisie, understanding how they spent their days, their activities, and their pastimes, should immerse themselves in the paintings of the venetian pietro longhi (venice, 1701 - 1785), the most important genre painter of eighteenth-century venice.

the work presented here is based on one of his inventions, "the awakening of the lady," created by longhi around the mid-18th century. This still captures with irony and vivacity a glimpse into the daily life of the high aristocracy of the time, preserved in various versions and derivations in various public and private collections.

the depiction includes all the elements that give longhi's works their timeless appeal: elegant settings, a touch of humor, and, above all, a suggestive and slightly daring subject.

the painting depicts the awakening of an elegant young woman in her boudoir. She is preparing to rise from bed, turning flirtatiously to the viewer, while her maids help her dress and assist her in her toilette, preparing a bath for her in a silver basin.

the atmosphere of luxury and leisure is reinforced by the figure of a gentleman, wearing a green silk robe and gold slippers, reclining on a chair in the corner as he contemplates her. Although he holds the morning paper in his hand, his attention is clearly distracted by his attractive wife, who is also fully aware of being observed. Neither appears in a hurry to leave the comfort of the bedroom for the outside world: the gentleman's black cloak and wig rest on their stands in the background, and his stockings slide lazily down his legs.

although the original painting, once thought lost, resurfaced at christie's (new york,
october 14, 2021, lot 51 - https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6338021 ) after being acquired by the french collector john grou in the early 19th century and brought to the united states, the subject became famous thanks to the engraving by charles-joseph flipart (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/816333 ).

the preparatory drawings for the painting are housed at the museo correr in venice, while a valuable version attributed to longhi's circle is preserved at palazzo leoni montanari in vicenza (https://gallerieditalia.com/it/musei-online/opere/il_risveglio_della_dama-195/ ).

his innovative and original artistic style was so popular that it spawned a host of imitators and followers: in venice, the great francesco guardi often painted interiors in the longhi style, as did his brother gianantonio, as demonstrated by the works housed at the museo del settecento di cà rezzonico in venice.

in the same circle, we find several painters of venetian extraction: the enigmatic maestro del ridotto and maestro dei riflessi, andrea pastò, giuseppe de gobbis, and the veronese andrea boscarati, intent on satisfying the abundant demand for longhi-style paintings in the city and beyond.

additional information:

the painting is sold complete with frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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