La Consolation de l'absence, J 156, circa 1785

Author(s): lavreince, nicolas (niklas lafrensen; known as the younger) (stockholm, in 1737 - stockholm, in 1807), designer other title: the portrait of the beloved (old title (outdated)) production date: around 1785 dating in century: 18th century type(s) of object(s): graphic arts, drawing name(s): drawing materials and techniques: gouache, vellum paper dimensions - artwork: height: 26cm width: 20. 5cm dimensions - frame: height: 35cm width: 29. 5cm depth: 4. 5cm historical commentary: lavreince had already treated this theme around 1780, a composition engraved by nicolas de launay under the title "the consolation of absence", a counterpart to "the happy moment". The engraving appears in the salon of 1785 (salon booklet n°283). The gouache from the cognacq-jay museum is a second version of this subject in which the artist has largely modified the frame with a sculpted trumeau, a cartel on the wall and a large alabaster vase on the fireplace. A beautiful copy of this gouache was in the arthur veil-picard collection, from the mühlbacher and la béraudière collections (see mühlbacher sale, paris, georges petit gallery, may 13 to 15, 1907, n°79, fig. Front p. 60). The version at the cognacq-jay museum is a replica, a little cold, executed by the artist, undoubtedly for an insistent amateur (cf. Burollet, thérèse, 2008, p. 171). Mode of acquisition: legacy name of donor, testator, seller: cognacq, ernest date of acquisition: 1928 institution: cognacq-jay museum, the taste of the 18th century inventory number: j 156. Date: circa 1785.