Artwork
The Organ Rehearsal
The Organ Rehearsal is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Henry Lerolle. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
First shown at the Paris Salon as À l'orgue, the work's considerable size emphasizes the contrast between the figures and the soaring architectural space.
Henry Lerolle's 1885 painting, The Organ Rehearsal, captures an intimate musical moment within the grand setting of the Church of Saint-François-Xavier in Paris. Depicting a gathering in the choir loft, the monumental oil on canvas features the artist's family and close acquaintances, including his wife and brother-in-law, the composer Ernest Chausson, at the organ. First shown at the Paris Salon as À l'orgue, the work's considerable size emphasizes the contrast between the figures and the soaring architectural space.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a personal tableau, populating the church's choir loft with individuals from Lerolle's immediate circle. His wife, Madeleine Escudier, holds sheet music, while her sisters and the artist's mother are also present. Lerolle himself appears at the composition's left, engaging the viewer.
This private assembly, centered around music, is set against the vast, bright emptiness of the church nave, creating a sense of quiet introspection amidst the monumental architecture.
Technique & Style
Lerolle executed this large-scale oil painting, measuring nearly seven and a half by twelve feet, on a substantial hemp canvas sourced from the Parisian merchant Hardy-Alan. A 2010 technical analysis revealed the artist employed squaring lines to transfer his design from preparatory studies. Infrared reflectography further indicated that Lerolle modified the composition by adding two figures after its initial display at the 1885 Paris Salon, suggesting a continued refinement of the scene.
History & Provenance
After its debut at the 1885 Paris Salon, The Organ Rehearsal traveled to New York in 1886 for America's first significant Impressionist exhibition. A contemporary critic noted the hushed reverence of spectators, who reportedly spoke softly as if awaiting the commencement of music. The Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired the canvas the following year, in 1887, through a donation from George I. Seney, securing its place in a major American collection.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Henry Lerolle (3 October 1848 – 22 April 1929) was a French painter, art collector and patron, born in Paris.
En el coro
Under gudstjenesten i en kirke på Amager
Under gudstjenesten i en kirke på Amager
Singing a Pathetic Song
Reading
A church Service in the Island of Mors, Jutland
Capuchinos en el coro
A church Service in the Island of Mors, Jutland
Portræt af fru Gumperd
Interior of the Church of Saint Paul in Antwerp
Compared in the Edo/Japonisme course