Pierre-Athanase Chauvin

From the collection of Pierre François Léonard Fontaine, Napoléon's First Architect (1762-1853).

V. Pomarede, Paysages d'Italie. Les peintres du plein air (1780-1830), exhibition catalogue, Paris, Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais, 3 April - 9 July 2001, Mantoua, Centro Internazionale d'Arte e di Cultura di Palazzo Te, September 1 - December 16, 2001, pp. 150-151.

The following condition report has been provided by Alain Goldrach, 122 East 92nd St., New York, 212-517-5946, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The work is painted on paper and mounted on canvas, probably a period mount, judging from the stretcher. The painting is in a lovely state, clean with a very dry varnish particularly suited for this type of painting. Under ultraviolet light, one can clearly see some feathery retouches around the edges, especially in the sky, as well as a small retouch in the tall pine tree in the center left. Otherwise the painting is in lovely condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Pierre-Athanase Chauvin was a pupil of Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts  in Paris where he was trained in the neoclassical style.  He was nineteen years old when he first took part in the Salon exhibition in 1793.  Although he was born in Paris and trained by a French master, Chauvin moved to Rome in 1801 or 1802 where he was to spend most of his life. In Rome he became one of the stars of the international artistic community, and shared a studio with François-Marius Granet.  Through Granet Chauvin was introduced to Pierre-Narcisse Guerin and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, the latter of whom painted portraits of Chauvin and his wife in 1814 (Bayonne, Musée Bonnat). During the 1800s, Chauvin travelled to Florence and Naples, and began to focus on Italian views. He became a member of the Academy of Saint Luke in Rome in 1813 and, on his way back to Paris in 1827, was named a corresponding member of the Institute.

The present painting reflects Chauvin's controlled use of light and his powerful sense of atmosphere, which he learned from Valenciennes. Chauvin gives us the impression that he has been painting in the open air rather than in a studio. The pines in the composition act as a structural element, heightening the recession through space.