Lot 215: Jean Mariège (Lyon c. 1680 - 1728) A village feast

Jean Mariège (Lyon c. 1680 - 1728) A village feast with jugglers outside the cour d'honneur of a country estate, with a village in the background, oil on canvas, 49.5 x 61 cm, delicately carved and gilded Neo-Classicist frame, (Wo) Without reserve Although only little known today because of his relatively small oeuvre, Jean Mariège was a highly esteemed artist. In 1728 he was mentioned as "painter of the City of Lyon", a position that attests to the veduta painter's repute. Apart from illusionistic architecture, a small number of paintings have survived. The Musée Fabre in Lyon preserves a bustling market scene in an architectural setting - one of the works that were signed and dated by the artist "Mariège 17.."; the Musée Ingres in Montauban owns another architectural piece, and numerous works are nowadays in private collections owned by high-ranking Parisian families (Ternois, p. 137). Many of his charming scenes reminiscent of Watteau were made in the context of stage scenery (Ternois, p. 133). H s works combine elements from Watteau's fête champêtre painting and the older tradition of the Baroque architectural veduta, although he also quotes Flemish genre scenes. The combination of all of these aspects results in charming fantastic landscapes, whose elegance in terms of composition and colours anticipates Rococo painting. Literature: comp. Daniel Ternois, "Jean Mariège - un peintre oublié du XVIIIe Siècle", in: La Revue du Louvre et des Musées de France, 64, 14th year, Paris 1964, pp. 131-138; Thieme-Becker, vol. XXIV, p. 96; Benezit, vol. VII, p. 181.