Artwork
Le concert
Le concert is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jean-Claude-Richard, Abbé de Saint-Non. It dates from 1759 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1759, this etching titled *Le concert* is attributed to the French cleric and artist Jean‑Claude‑Richard Saint‑Non, Abbé de. The print captures a domestic musical gathering, rendered with a clear sense of order and social decorum characteristic of mid‑eighteenth‑century French art.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a standing musician, coat draped, raising a stringed instrument to his chin, while a seated figure accompanies on a cello. Surrounding them, a mixed group of men and women—some seated, others standing—observe attentively, suggesting a cultured pastime that underscores the refinement of aristocratic leisure.
Technique & Style
Executed as an etching, the work employs fine line work to delineate intricate interior details, from ornate wall panels to the textured fabrics of the figures’ attire. The handling of light and shadow, together with the careful modulation of tone, reflects the lingering influence of the Baroque’s dramatic chiaroscuro while anticipating the more restrained Rococo sensibility.
History & Provenance
The print emerged during Saint‑Non’s brief artistic career, a period when he produced a limited number of prints for a modest market of collectors interested in genre scenes. Surviving copies are documented in several European print collections, indicating that the work circulated among connoisseurs of French decorative arts in the late eighteenth century.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Claude-Richard, Abbé de Saint-Non
Saint-Non, Jean-Claude-Richard, Abbé de (1727–1791) was an artist.
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