Artwork
La Salle aux Marronniers
La Salle aux Marronniers is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jean-Baptiste Rigaud. It dates from 1746 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Jean‑Baptiste Rigaud’s 1746 print, titled La Salle aux Marronniers, is an etching‑engraving that portrays a shaded promenade lined with mature chestnut trees.
Jean‑Baptiste Rigaud’s 1746 print, titled La Salle aux Marronniers, is an etching‑engraving that portrays a shaded promenade lined with mature chestnut trees. The composition is populated by elegantly dressed figures strolling, conversing, and seated on benches, while classical busts and statues rise from pedestals along the gravel‑covered path. The work conveys a tranquil, cultivated garden space, inviting the viewer into a serene 18th‑century leisure scene.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a cultivated avenue, or "chestnut room," where nature and artifice intersect. The chestnut trees form a leafy canopy that filters light, creating a cool atmosphere. Human figures in contemporary attire suggest a social gathering, while the presence of classical sculptures underscores the period’s reverence for antiquity and the pleasure of refined outdoor recreation.
Technique & Style
Rigaud employed a combination of etching and engraving to achieve fine line work and tonal variation. Etching allowed for delicate, atmospheric shading of foliage and sky, whereas engraving contributed crisp outlines for architectural elements and the figures’ attire. The interplay of these methods produces a balanced rendering of texture, from the rough gravel to the smooth marble pedestals.
History & Provenance
Created in 1746, the print reflects the mid‑18th‑century French taste for pastoral and garden scenes. While specific ownership records are limited, the work has been catalogued among Rigaud’s prints and appears in several collections of French engraving, illustrating the artist’s engagement with popular decorative subjects of his era.
Artist & collection
Vue du Chateau et d'une Partie de la Ville deVersailles
Vue Prise de la grande avenue entre les deux Ecuries
L'Obelisque
Vue du Chateau de Versailles Prise du Cote dela Terrasse vis a vis la Chapelle
Les Domes
Le Bassin d'Encelade
Vue des Ecuries de Versailles Prise de la Seconde Grille
Vue Particuliere de la Chapelle du Chateau deVersailles
Le Théâtre d'Eau
Les Bains d'Apollon
View of the Chateau de Seaux from Diana's Promenade
Pool of the Muses at Marli
The Theatre of Water (Le Théâtre d'Eau)
La promenade des remparts de Paris
Vauxhall Gardens shewing the Grand Walk at the Entrance of the Garden and the Orchestra with Musick Playing
Vue du Bassin de Latone Prise du Bord de la Terrasse du Chateau
Vauxhall Gardens shewing the Grand Walk at the Entrance of the Garden and the Orchestra with Musick Playing
La promenade au Jardin Turc