Artwork
Et barn lader sin moder lugte til nogle blomster
Et barn lader sin moder lugte til nogle blomster is an oil painting by the French Classical Baroque artist Jacques d'Agar. It dates from 1694 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Jacques d'Agar’s oil painting *Et barn lader sin moder lugte til nogle blomster* dates from 1694 and is part of the Statens Museum for Kunst’s holdings. Executed during the French Classical Baroque period, the work presents a domestic scene rendered with a pronounced play of light and shadow.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a seated woman with her right shoulder uncovered, holding a flower in her right hand and another between her lips, while a child rests on her lap, gazing at the blossom. The intimate gesture suggests a tender moment of shared sensory experience, emphasizing familial affection and the fleeting nature of scent.
Technique & Style
D’Agar employs chiaroscuro to model the figures, bathing the woman in a warm illumination that contrasts with the darker surroundings and the child’s partially shadowed form. The palette is restrained, dominated by muted browns and grays, which heightens the tactile quality of the fabrics and the delicate rendering of the flowers.
History & Provenance
Born in Paris in 1640, d’Agar trained under Jacob Ferdinand Voet before establishing himself as a portraitist and royal painter. After the 1682 revocation of the Edict of Nantes forced him to leave France, he entered the service of the Danish court, where the painting eventually entered the national collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jacques d'Agar (Danish: Jacob d'Agar; 9 March 1640 – 16 November 1715) was a French portrait painter born in Paris.
