Author(s):
saint-aubin, gabriel de (paris, 04–14–1724 - paris, 02–14–1780), designer
other title: the grenelle fountain. Current 7th arrondissement, paris (dummy title)
date of production: between 1773 and 1783
type(s) of object(s): graphic arts, drawing
name(s): drawing
dimensions - artwork:
height: 20. 1cm
width: 13. 1cm
dimensions - frame:
height: 39cm
width: 34cm
depth: 3. 5cm
marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
inscription - on the back, at the top: "inauguration of the fountain rue de grenelle"; on the back, bottom left: "497" (hidden by the montage). Iconographic description:
central part of the monument with the statue of the city of paris surrounded by the marne and the seine. At the foot of the monument, a jubilant crowd; on the right, a small orchestra perched on a draped platform; on the left, wine barrels set up on a platform. Historical commentary:
the animation surrounding the fountain led ironside to see in this drawing a representation of the inauguration of the monument. The date of the monument's inauguration, 1745, when saint-aubin was only 21 years old, makes this interpretation unlikely; the legible inscription on the base of the statue "fille du roy" suggests that it could be an evocation of the public festivities which followed the birth of louis xvi's eldest daughter, madame royale, in 1778. We have taken the title given by mr. Dacier (op. Cit. ) which, in addition, indicates that the four seasons fountain would have been inaugurated in 1749. In the research we have done we have found no mention relating to this inauguration. Roserot, in his monograph on bouchardon, only says that the fountain was finished in 1745. In fact, mariette wrote on march 1, 1746 (letter to a provincial friend): "four or five months ago i should have written to you and my feeble praise should have mixed with the applause that all of paris hastened to give to this superb monument. . . . . All that remains for me, sir, is to give you an account of what happened at the reception of this great and beautiful work by the city. The provost of merchants and the aldermen were not content to testify to the skilful man they had employed their extreme satisfaction, they wanted to confirm by a solemn act the advantageous judgments of the public and they added to it a reward certainly worthy of the magnificence of the first city of the kingdom. They assembled on february eleventh and by a particular deliberation they granted to monsieur. Bouchardon a pension of 150 pounds. . . . . . . ". In addition, a memoir by the sculptor bouchardon (vr carnavalet, historical notice on edme bouchardon) whose content allows us to determine with complete certainty that it predates mariette's letter, tells us that the provost, the aldermen and the royal attorney went to the trouble of receiving the fountain located in the rue de grenelle. Seems quite extraordinary to us that there was an inauguration of the monument four years later. It is possible that st aubin represented one of these festivals which took place quite frequently in the second half of the 18th century and for which wine fountains and orchestras were installed in the different districts. Acquisition method: manual donation
name of donor, testator, seller: fenaille, maurice
date of acquisition: 01–01–1919
institution: carnavalet museum, history of paris
inventory number: d. 5373. Date: between 1773 and 1783.
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