An extremely rare European Miniature Painting of a fete champêtre galante C.18thC

An extremely rare European Miniature Painting of a fete champêtre / galante mounted in its original silver frame C.18thC

An unusual & extremely rare gouache / watercolour Miniature Painting of a fete champêtre / fete galante, showing a gallant with his lady seated with a guitar, Harlequin and other figures in the background, column, tree and sky background, within an oval handmade original silver & bevelled glass frame – A very fine and unusual item – European school of Antoine Watteau.

Circa 18th century

Good Antique Condition – not cleaned -Observation there is minor flaking / chipping to the rim of the glass frame plate

3.25 inches (8.5cm) width X 2.75 inches (7cm) height approx

Fête galante (courtship party) is a category of painting specially created by the French Academy in 1717 to describe Antoine Watteau’s (1684–1721) variations on the theme of the fête champêtre, which featured figures in ball dress or masquerade costumes disporting themselves amorously in parkland settings. When Watteau applied to join the French academy in 1717, there was no suitable category for his works, so the academy simply created one rather than reject his application. His reception piece was the Embarkation for Cythera, now in the Louvre.

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