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Jean-Gabriel Domergue
Le Bar du Cancan

Name: Le Bar du Cancan
Brand: Jean-Gabriel Domergue
Rating: 5 (2 reviews)

$65,381.87List Price

About the Item

Jean-Gabriel Domergue, 1889-1962, French Le Bar du Cancan, Oil on panel, Signed lower right and titled on the reverse Certificate by Mr. Noé Willer Panel: 21 5/8" high x 18 1/4" wide Frame: 33 1/8" high x 29 1/2" wide Jean-Gabriel Domergue was born in Bordeaux, France on March 4th, 1889. An extremely talented and precocious painter, Domergue exhibited works at the Salon Des Artistes Français (the French Artists Exhibition) in 1906 at the young age of seventeen. In 1913, he was awarded the Second Prize of Rome and went on to win the gold medal award in the 1920 show. He then began showing outside the exhibition. Having first been recognized for his landscapes which he painted with great ease, his career took a decisive turn during the 1920’s. At this time he became the painter of the « Parisian lady ». Domergue invented a new type of woman : thin, airy, elegant, with a swanlike neck and wide seductive eyes which gaze upon the world with longing. “I invented the pin-up » he later claimed. He went on to paint approximately 3,000 portraits. Even though Domergue painted numerous nudes using fashionable actresses or young dancers as his models, he was nevertheless, highly prized in the aristocratic and high society circles painting individuals such as Liane de Pougy or Nadine, the future Baroness of Rothschild. Domergue was also one the main organizers for famous Parisian gala events such as « The Venetian Ball » at the Opera in 1922 and other events using the Second Empire as its theme in Paris and also Cannes, Monte-Carlo, Juan-les-Pins, Biarritz and of course, Deauville. Quite influential, he played an essential role in the evolution of fashion in his era. He designed numerous dresses, hats and accessories for famous couturier such as Paul Poiret and Henry Marque. Even though 1920 remains the turning point in Domergue’s career towards feminine portrayals, his style developed all throughout his artistic career. His quasi-definitive form appeared at the beginning of the 1930’s. From this time on Domergue was at the peak of his career; his paintings were no longer dated even though often titled on the back (oil canvasses or hardboards) and sometimes numbered. Having knowledge of this perfected style and trend allows the trained eye to accurately date his works of art. Domergue had a talent for highlighting the fickle and dazzling side of a beautiful woman that one likes to imagine. His elegant mastery of the paintbrush places him in the tradition of artists such as Fragonnard and Watteau who in the 18thcentury helped establish the canons of beauty of their epoch. His classical training combined with an aura of fantasy make Domergue’s portraits unlike any others. Domergue changed the way women were portrayed, breaking the traditional melancholic and vaporish poses. The female figure became airy, sparkling and effervescent like Champagne bubbles laying the ground in his own way for the feminine revolution which began in the next decades. No one can remain unaffected when gazing upon such gaiety and sensitivity portrayed by the subtle style of his stroke. One side of Jean-Gabriel Domergue’s life is not as well-known ; he was Curator of the Jacquemart-André Museum in Paris starting from 1955. Under his leadership, extraordinary exhibitions were organized. Most notably were his tributes to Léonard de Vinci, Seurat, Prud’Hon, Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh, Berthe Morisot and Francisco Goya. Furthermore, it was during his organization for the exhibit in honour of his own master, Giovanni Boldini, that he passed away in 1962. Domergue was made Knight of the Legion of Honour and Fellow of the Academy of Fine Arts.

Creator:
Jean-Gabriel Domergue (1889-1962, French)
Dimensions:
Height: 33.08 in (84 cm)Width: 29.53 in (75 cm)Depth: 3.94 in (10 cm)
Medium:
Oil,Wood Panel
Period:
Mid-20th Century
Condition:
Gallery Location:
Paris, FR
Reference Number:
Seller: 60111stDibs: LU68732008783

This exquisite portrait, with its new attribution to Theodore Russel, is believed to depict Lady Penelope O'Brien, daughter of Barnabas O'Brien, the sixth Earl of Thomond, and wife of the Earl of Peterborough, whom she married in 1644. The painting thus belongs to a historically significant period, capturing the refined elegance of the time. The portrait has a prestigious provenance from Elleholms Hofgård, a historic estate in Mörrums socken, Blekinge, Sweden. Elleholms Hofgård, whose two-story, timber-framed main building was constructed in 1730 and expanded in 1804, has changed ownership several times since the 17th century. The ancestors of the present owners acquired the estate in 1915, and from the 20th century until 2023, this painting was prominently displayed in the estate’s main building, making it an integral part of the estate’s history. Theodore Russel, an English portrait artist born in 1614, studied under the renowned Sir Anthony van Dyck, whose influence can be seen in Russel’s meticulous style. Russel often painted on cabinet-sized panels, such as this one, which measures approximately 39 x 31 cm. This preference for panels is a notable characteristic that sets him apart from contemporary artists like Sir Peter Lely, who exclusively used canvas. The size of the panel is a key reason for the reattribution to Russel from Peter lely, as Lely never used panels for his works. This distinctive format, along with Russel’s characteristic style, strongly supports the new attribution. Russel, the son of Nicasius Rousseel, a goldsmith and jeweler to James I and Charles I, refined his skills under the mentorship of his uncle, the famous portrait painter Cornelis Janssen. He also worked as an assistant and copyist for van Dyck, further honing his artistic style. This captivating portrait exemplifies Russel’s craftsmanship, reflecting the elegance of the period’s fashion and the artist's refined techniques. oil on wood panel with indistinct inscription Countess of Peter[...] upper left. with inscription on the reverse: ”Countess of Peterborough. P. Lely 1670. S Beatty Picture Restorer [...] Warwick”. unframed 39 x 31 cm = 15.35 x 12.2 inches framed 52 x 41.5 cm = 20.47 x 16.34 inches Condition: The portrait has just been restored by a professional art conservator in Stockholm and is now in a very good condition. The colors are vivid, and the skin tones appear more natural than before. It is a very fine painting. The frame is newly made and included. Provenance: Elleholms Hofgård, Mörrums socken, Blekinge, Sweden **; Stockholms Auktionsverk, Fine Art & Antiques Autumn...

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