Artwork
Still Life with Dressed Game, Meat, and Fruit
Still Life with Dressed Game, Meat, and Fruit is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Alexandre-François Desportes. It dates from 1734 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: Desportes 1734.
About this work
A cooked duck and chicken lie on a table, feathers still fluffed, beside a side of ham and a wheel of cheese, a knife resting near the meat. A bowl spills peaches, grapes, and cherries. Each item carries sharp detail, the light catching the fur on the duck's legs and the gleam of the blade against a dark ground. Alexandre-François Desportes painted it in oil in 1734.
Technique & Style
Stylistically, the piece adheres to the still life tradition, depicting dressed game, meat, and fruit with a focus on naturalistic detail.
Executed in 1734, the work is an oil painting on canvas, a standard medium for the genre that allowed the artist to render the varied textures of the composition with precision. The support measures 121 centimeters in height and 95 centimeters in width, establishing a substantial vertical format. Stylistically, the piece adheres to the still life tradition, depicting dressed game, meat, and fruit with a focus on naturalistic detail.
The handling of the oil paint facilitates the depiction of the rich surfaces and forms characteristic of Alexandre-François Desportes' output during this period. The physical object remains a painted canvas, consistent with the material descriptions found in museum records.
History & Provenance
Still Life with Dressed Game, Meat, and Fruit was painted in 1734 by Alexandre-François Desportes in oil on canvas. The work’s provenance begins with its sale at the Palais Galliera in Paris on 29 November 1973 (lot 12bis), after which it entered the collection of Paul-Louis Weiller (1893–1993) of Paris and Geneva. Following Weiller’s death, the painting was offered at his estate sale held at Hôtel Drouot by Gros & Delettrez on 5 April 2011 (lot 29), acquired by Stair Sainty Ltd. of London, and subsequently sold to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., on 27 February 2012. No commission or earlier ownership is recorded in the available sources.
The painting is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., with accession number 2012.5.1. It was acquired by the museum in 2012 through purchase from Stair Sainty Ltd., London, following its sale at Hôtel Drouot by Gros & Delettrez, Paris, on 5 April 2011, where it was lot 29. The painting had previously belonged to Paul-Louis Weiller and was offered at Palais Galliera, Paris, on 29 November 1973, as part of a sale.
Overview
Alexandre-François Desportes completed Still Life with Dressed Game, Meat, and Fruit in 1734. This oil on canvas painting exemplifies the Rococo movement through its detailed depiction of a lavish arrangement. The composition brings together various foodstuffs, including prepared game, cuts of meat, and an assortment of fresh fruit, characteristic of the still life genre.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents an abundant display of provisions on a table. Prominently featured are a cooked duck and chicken, their feathers still subtly rendered, alongside a substantial side of ham and a wheel of cheese. A knife rests near the meat, its blade catching the light.
A bowl overflows with vibrant fruit, including peaches, grapes, and cherries, each element rendered with precise detail and careful attention to light and texture.
Context
Alexandre-François Desportes established himself as a prominent French painter, particularly recognized for his skill in depicting animals and flora. His career trajectory included a period in Poland before he returned to France to further develop his artistic focus. His admission to the prestigious Académie de peinture et de sculpture in 1699 solidified his position within the artistic establishment of the burgeoning Rococo era.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Alexandre-François Desportes (24 February 1661-20 April 1743) was a French painter and decorative designer who specialised in animals.
