Artwork
Country Tavern, Feasting
Country Tavern, Feasting is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Eugène Isabey. It dates from 1875 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The physical object has survived in a condition suitable for acquisition and display, having passed from the collection of William A.
Executed in 1875, this work is an oil painting on canvas. The composition measures approximately 74.93 cm in height and 107.32 cm in width. Created by Eugène Isabey, the piece utilizes traditional oil paint applied to a woven canvas support, characteristic of nineteenth-century European painting practices.
The physical object has survived in a condition suitable for acquisition and display, having passed from the collection of William A. Clark to the Corcoran Gallery of Art before entering the holdings of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
History & Provenance
Eugène Isabey executed the oil painting Country Tavern, Feasting in 1875. The work entered the collection of William A. Clark (1839–1925), who retained ownership until his death. In 1926, the painting was bequeathed to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as part of Clark's estate.
Decades later, the institution transferred the work to the National Gallery of Art in 2014, where it remains in the permanent collection.
Country Tavern, Feasting is an oil on canvas painting by Eugène Isabey created in 1875. It entered the collection of William A. Clark, who bequeathed it to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in 1926; the work was acquired by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. in 2014.
The painting is part of the National Gallery of Art's collection in Washington, D.C., and was previously held by the Corcoran Gallery of Art following Clark's bequest. It has not been documented in major public exhibitions according to the available sources.
Context
Eugène Isabey painted Country Tavern, Feasting in 1875, depicting a lively interior scene characteristic of 19th-century French genre painting. The work entered the William A. Clark collection, bequeathed to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in 1926, and was acquired by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 2014. Its material, medium, and dimensions align with academic naturalism of the period, reflecting Isabey's role within the broader French school.
The painting is held in the National Gallery of Art's collection and documented in scholarly and institutional records as part of the artist's mature output.
Overview
Eugène Isabey’s 1875 oil painting Country Tavern, Feasting captures a bustling interior of a rural tavern. Warm, dim lighting suffuses the scene, where patrons of various ages gather around tables to eat, drink, and converse, while a few dogs lie on the floor, contributing to the lively ambience.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays a communal celebration, emphasizing social interaction and conviviality. Figures are shown in relaxed poses, sharing food and conversation, suggesting a moment of shared enjoyment that reflects everyday rural life rather than a formal event.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Eugène Louis Gabriel Isabey (French pronunciation:; 22 July 1803 – 25 April 1886) was a French painter, lithographer and watercolorist in the Romantic style.
