A FRENCH GILTWOOD FIRESCREEN

A FRENCH GILTWOOD FIRESCREEN, ECRAN A FEU

IN THE MANNER OF JEAN-BAPTISTE TILLIARD (FRENCH 1685-1766), IN LOUIS XV STYLE, MID-19TH CENTURY

inset with an 18th century 'Enfant de Boucher' tapestry panel attributed to Jacques Neilson of the Gobelins Manufactory, woven with a bucolic scene of two children, within a ribbon tied floral border, the moulded frame carved with scrolls, leaves and trailing flowers, the underside with an applied metal label, inscribed 'Halton Collection' and with a paper label, inscribed 'Halton'

121.8cm high, 81cm wide, 40cm deep

Provenance

Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918) the Central Hall / Salon, Halton House, Buckinghamshire

Lionel de Rothschild (1882-1942)

Edmund de Rothschild (1916-2009)

The Trustees of Exbury House

Literature

Rothschild Archive, London, Manuscript: 000/174/C/3, Christie, Manson & Woods Probate Valuation of 'The Estate of Alfred C. de Rothschild, Esq. C.V.O. Deceased, Halton House Tring'. 1918. Listed as 'Two fire-screens formed of panels of Gobelins tapestry woven with Boucher subjects of children in upright panels enclosed by garlands of flowers in rose pompadour border, the frame-work of gilt wood, £3,000.0.0.'

Catalogue Note

The Gobelins factory was established in 1663 as "Manufacture Royale des Meubles de la Couronne", with the purpose to supply tapestry and furnishings needed for the Royal palaces. In the 1720's under the directorship of Jean-Baptiste Oudry (1686-1755) the applcation of cartoons was introduced. In 1736, Oudry asked Francois Boucher (1703-1770) to create cartoons and Boucher's collaboration with the Gobelins factory lasted until 1765.

Francois Boucher was born in Paris and was granted a scholarship to study art in Italy for four years. His work was inspired by his years spent in Rome and by the work of Rubens and Watteau. His prominence rose quickly after the 1730's and he became a protégé of Madame Pompadour, Louis XV's mistress and around 1755 he was appointed as the King's artist.

Boucher created a series of charming paintings depicting children mostly in a rural setting, outdoors and engaging in some kind of activity, like feeding chickens or playing a bag pipe. Frequently found decorations of Gobelins upholstery are representations of these pictures, often referred to as 'Enfant de Boucher'.

See Country Children, The Metropolitan Museum Journal v.29. 1994 for an illustration of a similar example, titled 'Two children warming themselves at a fire'. The illustrated piece is signed by Jacques Nielson, director of the low-warp Gobelins tapestry factory, Paris, from 1749 to 1788. A similar painting to our example, with two children watching a trap to catch birds instead of warming by a fire, can also be seen painted on a porcelain tray at the Louvre.