- 364
Pierre-Athanase Chauvin
Description
- Pierre-Athanase Chauvin
- A view of the Abbey of Grottaferrata
- oil on canvas
Provenance
With Friederike's grandson, Major-General Chamberlain Adalbert Brun, Copenhagen, by 1900;
Thence by descent.
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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
This is a variant, with small differences, of Chauvin's prime version in the Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen, which is signed and dated 1811.1 Thorvaldsen visited the ateliers of several expatriate painters in Rome, including that of Chauvin, with Eckersberg, as the latter recalled, singling Chauvin out for special praise: "Récemment, je suis allé avec M. Thorw[aldsen] visiter les ateliers de MM. Chauvin, Verstappen, Terlinck et Ro[h]den qui sont des maitres distingués, cependant je désirerais presque donner la prééminence à M. Chauvin, son coloris, ses lointains, bref tout est si bien venu; je n'ai encore jamais vu semblable chose".2
Grottaferrata is in the Alban hills near Frascati, south east of Rome, and on horseback it is within easy reach of Rome. The Basiline Abbey follows the Graeco-Catholic rite, and was founded in 1004 by Saint Nilo. Its fortifications, easily visible here were erected at the behest of Cardinal Giulio della Rovere from 1473 onwards.
It is possible that this painting was bought directly from the artist by the Danish writer, salonist and notoriously sociable Friederike Brun during her travels to Rome, where Chauvin settled permanently after 1804. Figure 1 shows the painting hanging in her grandson, Major-General, Chamberlain Adalbert Brun's apartment in Copenhagen c. 1900, opposite a portrait of Friederike with her daughter Charlotte by Erik Pauelsen.
1. Inv. B89.
2. See V. Pomarède, in A. Ottani Cavina, Paysages d'Italie. Les peintres du plein air (1780-1830), exhibition catalogue, Paris 2001, p. 150.