{"product_id":"20518-spontini-gaspare-hersent-louis-study-for-a-portrait-original-drawing","title":"[Spontini, Gaspare. (1774-1851)] Hersent, Louis. (1777-1860) Study for a Portrait - ORIGINAL DRAWING","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\u003cp style=\"\"\u003eFinely executed delicate pencil drawing, squared for transfer in pencil; inscribed, lower centre: \u003cem style=\"\"\u003eSpontini\u003c\/em\u003e and signed, lower right: \u003cem style=\"\"\u003eHersent.  \u003c\/em\u003e150 by 110 mm; 5⅞ by 4⅜ in. \u003cspan style=\"\"\u003eHinged to a mount, some yellowing to the sheet, pencil in predominantly good condition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"\"\u003e Provenance: renowned collector of French art, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"\"\u003eMuriel Butkin; \u003c\/span\u003eCleveland Museum of Art (deaccession). \u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"\"\u003eWidely regarded as \u003c\/span\u003eHersent's chef-d'œuvre, the painted portrait of Spontini for which the present drawing is a detailed study, is dated 1821 and is housed at the Castle of Bourbilly (Burgundy), an 1826 copy of the same gifted by the composer to the Pinacoteca of the municipality of Jesi, adjacent to his birthplace of Maiolati.  In the painting, Spontini is sitting in front of a piano with sheet music, resting a hand on the keyboard in the same position as shown here, well-dressed and showing the decorations received during his illustrious career. Written with the encouragement of Empress Joséphine, the composer's masterpiece \u003ci style=\"\"\u003eLa Vestale\u003c\/i\u003e (The Vestal Virgin) received its premiere at the Opéra in Paris on December 15, 1807 established Spontini as one of the greatest Italian composers of his age. His contemporaries Cherubini and Meyerbeer considered it a masterpiece, and it was admired greatly by Berlioz and Wagner.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr style=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003eA pupil of David, the artist Louis Hesent obtained the Prix de Rome in 1797. He showed in the Salon of 1802 and continued to exhibit with rare interruptions up to 1831 and instructing many important artists including Auguste Bigand, Eugène Modeste Edmond Lepoittevin, Auguste Dominique Mennessier, Henry de Triqueti etc.  His most considerable works under the empire include \u003ci style=\"\"\u003eAn Incident of the life of Fénelon\u003c\/i\u003e, painted in 1810, (Malmaison), and \u003ci style=\"\"\u003ePassage of the Bridge at Landshut, \u003c\/i\u003enow at Versailles.  Hersent's typical works, however, belong to the period of the Restoration; \u003ci style=\"\"\u003eLouis XVI relieving the Afflicted\u003c\/i\u003e (Versailles) and \u003ci style=\"\"\u003eDaphnis and Chloë\u003c\/i\u003e were both in the Salon of 1817. \u003ci style=\"\"\u003eRuth\u003c\/i\u003e, produced in 1822, became the property of Louis XVIII, who from the moment that Hersent rallied to the Restoration jealously patronized him, made him officer of the Legion of Honour, and pressed his claims at the Institut de France (Académie des Beaux-Arts), where he replaced van Spaendonck. He continued in favour under Charles X, for whom was executed \u003ci style=\"\"\u003eMonks of Mount St Gotthard\u003c\/i\u003e, exhibited in 1824. In 1831, Hersent made his last appearance at the Salon with portraits of Louis Philippe, Marie Amélie and the duke of Montpensier. \u003cbr style=\"\"\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Schubertiade Music and Arts","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46093751582879,"sku":"20518","price":2500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/4826\/7423\/files\/Spontini_Hersent_Drawing_20518.png?v=1722190111","url":"https:\/\/www.schubertiademusic.com\/products\/20518-spontini-gaspare-hersent-louis-study-for-a-portrait-original-drawing","provider":"Schubertiade Music and Arts","version":"1.0","type":"link"}