Artwork

La Hollande Cintre du Salon de la Guerre sur L'Arcade qui donne entrée dans la Galerie (Holland, Center of the Salon of War in the Arcade that Opens into the Gallery) [pl. 39]

La Hollande Cintre du Salon de la Guerre sur L'Arcade qui donne entrée dans la Galerie (Holland, Center of the Salon of War in the Arcade that Opens into the Gallery) [pl. 39] is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Jean-Baptiste Massé. It dates from 1752 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

La Hollande Cintre du Salon de la Guerre sur L'Arcade qui donne entrée dans la Galerie (1752) is an engraving by Jean-Baptiste Massé, part of the Galerie de Versailles series. Contrary to its title suggesting a depiction of the Salon of War at Versailles, the print actually illustrates a tumultuous maritime battle scene.

Subject & Meaning

The engraving portrays a chaotic naval battle: soldiers clash on a ship's deck as a massive wave threatens to capsize it. A stormy sky, distant vessels, and a half-submerged column in the background amplify the dramatic and perilous atmosphere, highlighting the turmoil of war.

Technique & Style

Massé employed fine lines to achieve detailed textures and shading, enhancing the dramatic intensity of the scene. The work exemplifies the precision and expressiveness achievable through engraving, a technique involving incisions on a plate to produce detailed prints.

History & Provenance

Created in 1752 by Jean-Baptiste Massé, a French artist and court painter to Louis XV, this engraving was included in the Galerie de Versailles series (1732-1753), which documented Charles Le Brun’s works at Versailles, despite the subject matter deviating from this theme.

Artist & collection

Artist

Jean-Baptiste Massé

Jean-Baptiste Massé (29 December 1687, in Paris – 26 September 1767, in Paris) was a French miniature painter, engraver, and draftsman, best remembered as the court painter of Louis XV, for training Jean-Étienne Liotard…