Who painted The Two Sisters?

The Two Sisters was painted by Jean-Claude-Richard de Saint-Non in 1770-01-01.

Where can I see The Two Sisters?

The Two Sisters is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is The Two Sisters?

The Two Sisters is associated with Academic Art.

Can I buy a print of The Two Sisters?

Museum-quality prints of The Two Sisters are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Two Sisters

Jean-Claude-Richard de Saint-Non , 1770

The Two Sisters is an unspecified painting by the Academic Art artist Jean-Claude-Richard de Saint-Non. It dates from 1770 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Executed in the academic tradition, the work employs the conventions of formal portraiture to emphasize the sitters’ social standing and familial connection.

The Two Sisters is a 1770 portrait by Jean‑Claude Richard de Saint‑Non that shows two young women identified as sisters. Executed in the academic tradition, the work employs the conventions of formal portraiture to emphasize the sitters’ social standing and familial connection. Its composition, attire, and presentation reflect the stylistic norms of late‑18th‑century French portrait painting.

The canvas entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view, underscoring its significance as an example of genre portraiture from the period.

History & Provenance

The painting known as The Two Sisters was created in 1770 by the French artist Jean-Claude Richard de Saint-Non, also identified as the Abbé de Saint-Non. Classified as an academic portrait, the work depicts a young girl and measures approximately 80.3 by 63.5 centimeters. While specific details regarding the original commission or the intermediate ownership chain prior to its current location are not provided in the available records, the artwork is presently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The piece remains attributed to Saint-Non, who was active during the late eighteenth century, with the inception date firmly established as 1770.

Jean-Claude Richard de Saint-Non's 1770 painting, The Two Sisters, is part of the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work is cataloged within the museum's holdings as a portrait executed in the academic art movement. While the specific accession or inventory number is not detailed in the provided records, the artwork's physical dimensions are recorded as 80.3 centimeters in height and 63.5 centimeters in width.

The painting depicts a girl and dates to January 1, 1770. No specific exhibition history or past showings are documented in the available sources, though the work remains identified with the New York institution.

Overview

Jean-Claude Richard de Saint-Non, a French artist active in Paris, completed The Two Sisters in 1770. This painting exemplifies the Rococo movement, capturing a portrait of two young girls. The work is currently housed in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Saint-Non was known for his diverse artistic output, including significant contributions to printmaking.

Technique & Style

Saint-Non employed soft, flowing brushstrokes to render the girls' dresses, imbuing the fabric with a sense of movement and texture. The artist skillfully manipulated light and shadow, creating luminous areas on their faces and garments while allowing other sections to recede into softer depths. This interplay of illumination highlights the figures and contributes to the painting's overall visual richness, characteristic of the Rococo aesthetic. Beyond painting, Saint-Non was also a significant figure in printmaking, notably advancing the aquatint technique.