The fair at Benzons

Pater, Jean-Baptiste (1695-1736)

Item type:

painting

Height:

106.7 cm  (42 in.)

Width:

142.2 cm  (56 in.)

Technique / Medium:

oil on canvas

Place of creation:

Paris (France)

Description

A large group of people celebrating an outdoor festival. In the center are a couple dancing and four men with instruments: shawm, hurdy gurdy, and two violins; in the background two couples dancing and two men playing instruments: violin and string bass; in the middle distance (left) a commedia dell'arte troupe, one of them playing drum; in the middle distance (right) a man on stage. The work dates to the early 1730s, preceding a smaller 1733 version at Sanssouci Palace, Potsdam. The popular fair, held outside Paris each year on the first Sunday in September, inspired a stage play, a ballet-pantomime, and several works of art. Drawing from the imagery of Watteau’s fêtes galantes, Pater chose a bucolic landscape. People from all classes of society enjoy the festivities. The principal dancer may be Mademoiselle d'Angeville, a famous actress. Behind her is Pierrot, in white suit and ruff, and, on stage, a costumed monkey performs.

Iconclass

43A35
performance in the open air (pleasure fair)
48C8543
'commedia dell'arte'

Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)

Shawm [4258]
Hurdy-gurdy [3305]
Violin [3573]
Side drum [2729]
Double bass [3111]

RIdIM images

Image URLs

image link 1

RIdIM record id

3818