Antoine Coypel (Paris, 1661 – 1722) (attr.), Zephyr and Flora and Ceres as an allegory of the harvest

Antoine Coypel (Paris, 1661 – 1722) (attr.) Zephyr and Flora and Ceres as an allegory of the harvest (2) Oil on canvas, 65x81 cm With frame, 85 x 100 Antoine Coypel was born in Paris into a family of artists: his father Noel, who initiated him into art, was a painter particularly esteemed in the French cultural context between the 17th and 18th centuries. A crucial moment in the artistic formation of the young Antonie coincided with his move to Rome, following his father's appointment as director of the French Academy. Finding himself in the Eternal City was an exceptional opportunity for growth for the young artist: he had the opportunity to cross paths with giants such as Bernini, who became a kind of ideal mentor, and Carlo Maratta, key figures in the Roman artistic scene of the time. In Rome, he distinguished himself by winning a prize at the Academy of San Luca, a prestigious calling card for his return to Paris. Once back in his homeland, Antoine continued his training at the Académie Royale, the beating heart of French art of the time. His skill was not long in being noticed, so much so that in 1689 he received a prestigious commission for an altarpiece for the church of Notre-Dame de Paris. An assignment of such importance marked the beginning of a brilliant career, studded with another seven works for the famous cathedral. His rise in the academic world was surprisingly rapid. In 1707 he became professor and then rector of the Academy, culminating in 1714 with his appointment as director. Royal recognition was not long in coming: in 1716 he was appointed painter to the king, a title that sanctioned his status as a court artist, and the following year he even received a noble title. Among the most important commissions for the French royal family is that relating to the royal chapel of Versailles, which he frescoed in 1708. Various other members of his family dedicated themselves to painting, introduced to the art of painting by Antoine: his half-brother Noël-Nicolas Coypel, and his son, Charles-Antoine Coypel, followed in his footsteps, also becoming artists. Antoine Coypel's style was anything but static and monotonous. Initially rooted in the French classicist tradition, he was able to infuse new vitality into his painting with a more vivid and bold palette of colors. Subsequently, the influence of a master such as Rubens made itself felt in his works, further enriching his pictorial language and his visual imagery. In addition to being a prolific painter, Coypel was also a draftsman of great talent. Many of his graphic works are part of the collections of the Musée du Louvre. Among his most famous paintings are The Death of Dido, preserved at the Musée Fabre in Montpellier, a dramatic example of his stylistic maturity, Diana's Rest of the Departmental Museum of Ancient and Contemporary Art of Épinal, which evokes mythological and sensual atmospheres, Eliezer and Rebecca of the Louvre, a biblical tale imbued with elegance, the thoughtful Portrait of Democritus, the dramatic scene of The Swooning of Esther, and the powerful Athalia Driven from the Temple, all part of the vast collections of the Louvre. Antoine Coypel, in addition to the mythological works that made him known, also executed religious works of great intensity and spirituality, such as the fascinating Jesus Served by the Angels of the Museum of Fine Arts and Archeology of Châlons-en-Champagne. This pair of canvases brilliantly combines elements deriving from the French classicist school and the legacies of the Roman Baroque: the soft colors and sinuous features of the female figures harmoniously combine with the dynamism of the two scenes, giving life to elegant and refined compositions. What is represented are two mythological scenes with a strong allegorical and evocative value: Zephyr and Flora and Ceres as an allegory of the harvest are two subjects that immediately refer to an imagery of well-being and prosperity.