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A drawing by Lépicié for the Metropolitan

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30/12/24 - Acquisition - New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Much less well known than his contemporaries Chardin and Greuze, to whom he was compared, Nicolas-Bernard Lépicié certainly deserves a spotlight on his work. A painter of both history and genre scenes, he first studied engraving with his father François-Bernard Lépicié, then painting with Carle Van Loo, winning the second Prix de Rome in 1758 for his interpretation of the Miracle of the Prophet Elisha. His pleasure piece for the Royal Academy, completed in 1764, The Descent of William the Conqueror into England, did not please Diderot, who saw "neither harmony nor nobility" in it; he was then accepted with Achilles and the Centaur in 1769, became assistant professor in 1777, then professor in 1779, and counted Carle Vernet and Jean-Baptiste Regnault among the students in his studio.
He painted a number of compositions for the Crown, such as Adonis Turned into Anemone (1669) and Narcissus (1771) for the Petit Trianon.
The painter also exhibited portraits, particularly of children, and scenes of family intimacy, which aroused the enthusiasm of critics and the public alike. Bachaumont commented that "Lepicié always makes himself tasty when he does not want to elevate himself to the genre of history", while Cochin affirmed that he was comparable to David Téniers the elder; in any case, he was sensitive to the art of the Flemish and Dutch masters.


1. Nicolas-Bernard Lépicié (1735-1784)
The Interior of a Customs House, 1775
Oil on canvas - 98 x 164 cm
Madrid, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
Photo: Wikipedia (public domain)
See the image in its page
2. Nicolas-Bernard Lépicié (1735-1784)
The Interior of a Great Hall, 1778
Oil on canvas - 98 x 164 cm
Private collection
Photo: Public domain
See the image in its page

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