Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Harvard, London, by 1960.

Connoisseur, November 1961;
S. Paviére, Jean Baptiste Monnoyer 1634-1699, Leigh-on-Sea 1966, p. 24, cat. no. 111, reproduced in color on frontispiece.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting is in marvelous condition. The canvas has an old glue lining, but the texture of the paint is very lively and fresh. The paint layer is quite dirty and will respond very well to cleaning. There may be a small restoration in the upper right above the monkey's head, and there are probably a few retouches in the shadows of the masonry in the lower left addressing a little graininess or thinness. A few more small retouches may be revealed when the picture is cleaned, but the lining has nicely stabilized the surface, so a clean and a small amount of retouching should suffice to give the picture a good deal more brightness and depth.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Monnoyer was born in Lille in 1636.  He may have spent some time in Antwerp before establishing himself at an early age in Paris, where he became a member of the Academy.  He gained the support and friendship of the painter Charles Le Brun and was employed by him to contribute to the decoration of the Royal residences at Vincennes, Trianon, Meudon and Marly.  In addition, some sixty of his paintings adorned the palace at Versailles.  Owners of the finest private homes, such as the Hôtel Lambert, were also enthusiastic patrons.  Through the patronage of Ralph, 1st Duke of Montague, and English Ambassador to Louis XIV, Monnoyer's fame spread to England where he collaborated on the decoration of Montague House.  Monnoyer spent the last decade of his life living and working in England for such notable patrons as Queen Mary, the Duke of St. Albans and the Earl of Carlisle.