Artwork
An Allegory, Probably of the Peace of Utrecht of 1713
An Allegory, Probably of the Peace of Utrecht of 1713 is an oil painting by the French Classical Baroque artist Antoine Rivalz. It dates from 1691 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition includes religious elements, specifically a cross and an angel, alongside human figures, which aligns with its classification as religious art.
The work is an allegorical painting that depicts a scene involving an angel, a cross, a man, and a woman. While the title suggests the piece may represent the Peace of Utrecht of 1713, the creation date of 1691 indicates a subject matter that predates the historical event by more than two decades. The composition includes religious elements, specifically a cross and an angel, alongside human figures, which aligns with its classification as religious art.
The specific narrative meaning remains tied to these symbolic figures rather than the later treaty mentioned in the title, suggesting the title may be a later attribution or interpretation made well after the work was painted.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1691 by Antoine Rivalz, this work is an oil painting on canvas. The composition measures 47.3 cm in height and 55.9 cm in width. Stylistically classified as an allegory, the image incorporates figures including an angel, a cross, a man, and a woman, consistent with religious art.
The application of oil paint on a woven support reflects standard practice for easel paintings of the late seventeenth century. The piece currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
The work, titled An Allegory, Probably of the Peace of Utrecht of 1713, was created by Antoine Rivalz in 1691. Executed in oil on canvas, the piece measures 47.3 by 55.9 centimeters. Although the title connects it to the Peace of Utrecht in 1713, the documented inception date is 1691, predating that historical event.
The painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, as part of its European Paintings holdings, and remains attributed to Rivalz. The cited sources do not record an exhibition history for the work.
Overview
Antoine Rivalz, a French artist from Toulouse, created this oil painting titled An Allegory, Probably of the Peace of Utrecht of 1713 in 1691. The work is an allegorical composition, featuring several figures including a man, a woman, and angels, set within a dramatic scene. It exemplifies the French Classical Baroque style and is part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. Rivalz was known for his portraits and served as Toulouse's official painter.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Antoine Rivalz (1667 – 11 December 1735) was a French painter. Born in Toulouse, Languedoc, the son of Jean-Pierre Rivalz (who painted and designed the city's hôtel de ville), Antoine became the town's official painter,…
- Saints Ippolito, Taurino, and Ercolano
Dido and Aeneas
France comforted by Time
Death of Belisarius
The Oath of Brutus
Denial of Saint Peter (Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 21:54-63; John 17:15-25).
The Funeral of Patroclus
The Sacrifice of Polyxena in Malibu
Christ Carrying the Cross
The Arrival of Aeneas in Carthage
Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane
Transfer of the Ark of the Covenant by David
