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Rare miniature hand painted signed famous miniaturist JF.G. Fontallard * (1772-1858) depicting the portrait of his son Henri-Gérard playing the flute, in an ebonite frame, early nineteenth century.
This miniature is in good condition and is of exceptional quality. Signed on the right side. Old collection label on the back, marked "Fontallard, portrait of his son Henry playing the flute, exhibited at the Salon of 1812, collections Bugnicourt" (Max Bugnicourt 1868-1936, miniaturist, descendant of Fontallard). Label of the Commission of Expertise of the Biennial of Paris of 1976.
A similar miniature is kept at the Musée Cognacq Jay in Paris and received a medal at the Salon of 1812. Represented in the work of Mr Henri Bouchot on the French Miniature. (p.184) as well as in Nathalie Lemoine-Bouchard's book "Les Peintres en Miniature". The miniature that we present for sale is therefore a work of the artist of the same period, perhaps preparatory.
A note: small defect in the bottom of the miniature (see red arrow), small accident in the top of the frame, some scratches and wear of time, see photos.
miniature painter. Following in the footsteps of his father, he came to study in Paris at the School of Engineering. The artistic vocation prevailed over that of the weapons: he entered the studio of JBJ. Augustine and at the Academy School. His first shipment to the Salon dates from 1798, followed in 1799 by two drawings in the black way. Fontallard exhibited until 1835. Between 1836 and 1840 he is mentioned as "portrait painter, impasse Sandrié No. 6". His two son painters Henri and Camille gave the same address to their debut at the Salon. Passionate about art from the Far East, he was a great collector. He died in 1857. His studio located at Batignolles was dumped in 1858, as well as his collection. He counted among his descendants the painter François Max de Bugnicourt who inherited part of his collections. The work of this talented artist deserves to be rediscovered. If he retained the technique of the dotted tight Augustine, his style emancipated by exaggerating the formalism of the pose and dramatizing the play of lights. Fontallard's portraits have a special spirit in their precision and the way faces are chiseled. Even the portraits of his family, his wife or his son for example, have a distinguished look. Fontallard won a first class medal at the Salon of 1812, where he had sent several portraits. (extract "The Painters in Miniature" Nathalie Lemoine-Bouchard.
Artist very well side on Artprice.
