Museum of Los Angeles does not disclose how much he paid for the painting of the XVIII century "Italian comedians," but according to some sources, the cost of painting up to $ 2 million

• Jean-Antoine Watteau (?)
  Italian comedians
  Source: latimes.com

J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles on Thursday announced the acquisition of a little-known paintings of the XVIII century" Italian comedians, "attributed to a number of experts authorship of the greatest French painter Jean-Antoine Watteau (Jean-Antoine Watteau).

Senior Curator of Painting Getty Scott Schaefer (Scott Schaefer) told me that before the acquisition of a London dealer Museum consulted with almost all the leading experts on the works of Watteau, each of which showed a picture of himself. Seven experts believe that it is either the work of one Watteau, or an unfinished painting, which was finishing one of his disciples - presumably by Jean-Baptiste Pater (Pater attributed the job during the twentieth century). doubts about the authorship of Watteau three distinguished experts, although they did not report who, in their opinion , wrote it.

picture is quite large (approximately 120 x 90), which is unusual for Watteau, whose paintings sold at auction, usually less. Getty did not disclose the amount of the transaction, but because of the uncertainty of authorship is to assume that the price was reasonable.

The last film "The Italian comedians," exhibited in the Paris Museum in 1929. Last April, she was "floated" on the auction works from the collection of Paul-Louis Weir (French officer during World War II, earned his fortune in the aviation and banking sectors). Weyer was a friend and mentor, the founder of the Los Angeles Museum of Jean Paul Getty. Auction House Gros & Delettrez called the "Comedians" in its catalog of about 1720 "the French school of the circle ... by Antoine Watteau." Newspaper Herald Tribune wrote that the deal amounted to 1.56 million euros (about $ 2 million), which was 20 times higher than the top estimate. most expensive work of Watteau is now picture of the "Surprise", which at a London auction in 2008 bought for 24.4 million dollars.

Antoine Watteau often returned to the subject of the commedia dell'arte actors. Watteau painting of the same name " Italian comedians "is a collection of the Washington National Gallery. It was written in 1719-1720, during a trip to England artist for the treatment of tuberculosis. Art Museum in Washington, most likely, was the gift of the English doctor. curator of the Getty Schaefer claims that their" Italian comedians "were written during the same trip. A certain picture of Watteau is not identified with this name is mentioned in the auction catalog in 1726.

One of the evidence in favor of the authorship of the French genius is the figure of Pierrot, which is undoubtedly attributed to Watteau and almost completely coincides with the figure of Pierrot in the painting, bought by the Getty.

Prepared by Mary Onuchina, AI

Sources : artinvestment.ru

Editorial Comment : It is fair to note that from the time of Catherine the Great in the permanent exhibition of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg is a picture Antoine Watteau, quite a long time, until the 1960s, bearing the same name - "Cast of Italian comedy." After the attribution JS Nemilovoy not only the painting itself, dating from 1711-1712 years, received a new name - "Starring the French comedy" but three of the five characters depicted in it found the names. Moreover, JS Nemilova concluded that "in front of us is definitely a group portrait of the actors, but Italian and French comedy, though in all probability, members of one piece - "Three cousins" Dankura ».

• Antoine Watteau Actors Theatre of the French Oil on wood. 20 x 25. France. 1711-1712
  Source admission to the museum: Pierre Crozat collection in Paris. 1772
  Source: Hermitagemuseum.org

In this regard, Paintings acquired by the Getty Museum, is interesting because it contains an element that is present in the Hermitage painting, - a young man in a beret, shown in a characteristic pose. curious fact, repetition of the artist as his compositional discoveries - pose and costume man in a beret - in the "Italian comedians' after 8 years, if we take it on faith that the attribution of Getty true.

Maria Kuznetsova, AI