Who painted Allegory of the Hearing, the Taste and the Smell?

Allegory of the Hearing, the Taste and the Smell was painted by Balthasar Beschey in 1733.

Where can I see Allegory of the Hearing, the Taste and the Smell?

Allegory of the Hearing, the Taste and the Smell is held by Hermitage Museum.

What movement is Allegory of the Hearing, the Taste and the Smell?

Allegory of the Hearing, the Taste and the Smell is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of Allegory of the Hearing, the Taste and the Smell?

Museum-quality prints of Allegory of the Hearing, the Taste and the Smell are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Allegory of the Hearing, the Taste and the Smell

Balthasar Beschey , 1733

Allegory of the Hearing, the Taste and the Smell is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Balthasar Beschey. It dates from 1733 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1733, this oil on canvas by Flemish artist Balthasar Beschey belongs to the Rococo period. The work is an allegorical composition that groups a central female figure with four children amid a landscaped garden. It is part of the State Hermitage Museum’s collection in St. Petersburg.

Subject & Meaning

The central woman, dressed in flowing robes, holds a scroll and gestures upward, suggesting instruction or proclamation. Around her, two children clutch flowers, one plays a flute, and another reaches outward, embodying the senses of taste, smell, and hearing. The grouping visualizes the classical allegory of sensory perception.

Technique & Style

Beschey employs a soft chiaroscuro, illuminating the woman’s face while the surrounding figures recede in shadow, creating a subtle drama typical of Rococo elegance. The garden background, with statues and distant landscape, is rendered in delicate brushwork, and the composition is anchored by a patterned floor often found in the artist’s decorative schemes.

History & Provenance

The painting was produced in Antwerp, where Beschey taught at the local Academy and was known for decorative commissions. After changing hands in private collections, it entered the State Hermitage Museum, where it remains on public display.

Context

During the early 18th century, Flemish painters like Beschey blended academic training with the ornamental tastes of the Rococo. Allegorical subjects allowed artists to showcase both narrative skill and decorative flair, aligning with the period’s interest in the senses as a means of moral and aesthetic instruction.