"Le Temple d'Eros" by Adolphe Joseph Thomas Monticelli

Item Details

Le Temple d’Eros oil on panel by Adolphe Joseph Thomas Monticelli (French, 1824-1886). The painting illustrates in an expressive manner the temple ruins with female figures in draped garments surrounding, signed in the lower left and presented in a gesso over wood frame of the period with scrolled acanthus leaves in gilt finish. Affixed at the verso to the caged back the label ‘E.J. Van Wisselingh & Co., Amsterdam’ (art dealer established in 1838 specializing in Dutch and French art) as well as a Christie’s label from the October 2016 European Art auction in New York (catalogue included).

Adolphe Joseph Thomas Monticelli was active in his native town of Marseilles and in Paris where he frequented the Louvre and was a pupil of Paul Delarouche at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. He favored landscapes, portraits and ‘fete galantes’ as his subject matter. In 1855 Adolphe met Narcisse Diaz of the Barbizon school who influenced him to include nudes and costumed figures into his romantic style landscapes.
Paul Cézanne befriended Monticelli in the 1860s, the two artists often painted landscapes together experimenting briefly with the new discoveries of the Impressionists. After his death in 1886, his paintings garnered praise from Vincent Van Gogh who was instrumental in publishing the first book about Monticelli in 1890 and from Oscar Wilde who collected his work.

Condition

The painting is in very good condition with a small, minor spot of paint loss in the lower right corner. The frame has flaking and finish loss along an inner edge and at the corners.

Dimensions

The image measures 14.25" high x 23.25" WIDE.

Item #

17DCC995-113