catalog text
ALEXANDRE PAU DE SAINT-MARTIN
French, 1751-1820
"Vue de Bagatelle (The Entrance of the Duke of Bordeaux in the Parc de Bagatelle )"
Oil on canvas | unsigned
stock ref. 405VFP22G
31 7/8" H x 42 3/4" W x 3 1/2" D [frame]
23 3/4" H x 35 1/4" W [canvas]
Essay
[Source: Christie's catalogue for this painting when it was offered in 2006]
"Bagatelle was a château built in 1777 at the edge of the Bois de Boulogne by Bélanger for the Comte d'Artois, later Charles X. The Duc de Bordeaux shown in the present landscape was born Henri de Bourbon, and later became the Comte de Chambord, who under the name of Henri V, was the legitimate heir to the throne of France after the death of Charles X in 1836.
The present painting belonged to the Duchesse de Berry, born Marie-Caroline de Bourbon-Sicile, daughter of François I of Sicily, and wife of Charles, the second son of Charles X."
Provenance:
- Duchesse de Berry, Château de Rosay
- Baron de Montesquieu, Château de Fougères à la Brède; thence by descent
- Christie's, New York, 17 October 2006, "Old Master Paintings", lot 311, achieved $ 33,600
- Private Collection, New York
Exhibited:
Paris, Château de Bagatelle, Délégation à l'Action Artistique de la Ville, Bagatelle en ses Jardins, 30 May-8 August 1997
Condition:
Original stretchers in very good condition with all keys present; wax lining of the linen; linen is taut and in good condition. Light age-related craquelure throughout the surface, no losses observed. Areas of overcleaning present that have been carefully inpainted. Our conservator removed the surface grime and varnish, carefully removed any old overpaint, applied a preliminary varnish, inpainted any areas of overcleaning or overpaint, applied a final varnish of traditional Dammar. Under UV examination: old spots of inpaint to craquelure throughout (presenting in the images as faint purple), some old layers of varnish left intact by the conservator (presenting under UV as having color), spots of touchup around the perimeter of the frame where the rabbet rubs, spots of inpaint throughout the trees, other spots of touchup visible under UV examination. Frame in good condition with inpainting and regilding present throughout. Ready to place.
Biography
Alexandre Pau de Saint-Martin was born on September 7, 1751 in Mortagne-au-Perche and passed away on June 14, 1820 in Paris. While very little is known about his life, his artistic career spanned almost six decades with active participation in the Paris Salon from 1791 through 1848. Early in his career, he exhibited under the name Saint-Martin until 1812, after which he presented his works as Pau de Saint-Martin from 1814 onward.
Known for his landscape and architectural paintings, he worked across various regions of France and extended his artistic endeavors into Switzerland. His most important works include Vue de Bagatelle (The Entrance of the Duke of Bordeaux into the Parc de Bagatelle) and Maison en campagne(1808).
Saint-Martin trained his son, Pierre-Alexandre, in painting and he pursued an active career as a painter from 1784 through 1834. Additionally, Saint-Martin played a role in shaping the early training of his cousin, Théodore Rousseau, who later became an important figure in the Barbizon School of painters.