Lot 557: Charles Monginot (French, 1825-1900), "Darwin's

Charles Monginot (French, 1825-1900), "Darwin's Theory Explained", oil on board, signed lower left, dated "March 1877" and titled en verso, 14 1/4 in. x 11 3/4 in., attractively framed.

Note: Monginot was known for his convincing renderings of animals and is considered one of the masters of the distinctly French genre of "Singeries", which translates as "monkey trick. " This style of painting originated with the 17th c. designer Jean Berain the Elder who included figures of frolicking monkeys in his arabesque wall decorations. In Singerie paintings, monkeys are depicted taking part in distinctly human activities, frequently fashionably attired or in exaggerated costumes to emphasize the scene's comic nature. In this delightful episode Monginot playfully toys with the theories of evolution and natural selection put forth by Charles Darwin in "On the Origin of the Species" (1859) and "The Descent of Man" (1871). He depicts a macaca mulatta, more commonly referred to as the rhesus monkey, teaching the theories to a younger monkey. The rhesus monkey, one of the most popular of zoo animals, is known for its innate curiosity and active lifestyle; it is also notoriously promiscuous. Monginot studied with Thomas Couture (French, 1815-1879) and made his debut at the Salon of 1850; he was awarded Salon medals in 1864 and 1899