Portrait of Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier and his wife
Encyclopedia
The Portrait of Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier and his wife is a double portrait of the French chemist Antoine Lavoisier
and his wife and collaborator Marie-Anne Pierrette Paulze
, commissioned from the French painter Jacques-Louis David
in 1788 by Marie-Anne (who had been taught drawing by David). It is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
in New York
.
in 1927, and it was acquired from this institution by the Metropolitan Museum in 1977.
Antoine Lavoisier is seated, wearing a black vest, culottes
, stockings and buckled shoes, a white shirt, a white neckscarf and a powdered wig. His face turns towards his wife and he rests his left arm on the table, whilst writing with his right hand using a feather pen. The table is covered with a scarlet tablecloth, many papers, a casket, an inkwell with two more feather pens, a barometer
, a gasometer, a water still and a glass bell jar
. A large round-bottom flask
and a tap are on the floor to the right, by the table. To the table's extreme left is a chair with a large document-case and black cloth on it.
The signature is bottom left, on the table - L DAVID, PARISIIS ANNO, 1788.
Antoine Lavoisier
Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier , the "father of modern chemistry", was a French nobleman prominent in the histories of chemistry and biology...
and his wife and collaborator Marie-Anne Pierrette Paulze
Marie-Anne Pierrette Paulze
Marie-Anne Pierette Paulze , was a French chemist. She was born in the town of Montbrison, Loire, in a small province in France...
, commissioned from the French painter Jacques-Louis David
Jacques-Louis David
Jacques-Louis David was an influential French painter in the Neoclassical style, considered to be the preeminent painter of the era...
in 1788 by Marie-Anne (who had been taught drawing by David). It is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
History
David was paid 7,000 livres for it on 16 December 1788 and the painting was left by Marie-Anne to her great-niece in 1836. It remained in the collection of the comtesse de Chazelles and her descendents until 1924, when it was bought by John Davison Rockefeller. Rockefeller gave it to the Rockefeller Institute for Medical ResearchRockefeller University
The Rockefeller University is a private university offering postgraduate and postdoctoral education. It has a strong concentration in the biological sciences. It is also known for producing numerous Nobel laureates...
in 1927, and it was acquired from this institution by the Metropolitan Museum in 1977.
Description
It shows the couple in his office, with a wood-panelled floor and walls of false marble with three classical pilasters. In the centre the couple face the viewer, with both their heads in three-quarters profile. Marie-Anne is shown standing in profile looking at the viewer. Her costume is that in fashion at the end of the 18th century - a white wig, a white dress with a lace collar and a blue fabric belt. She rests on her husband's shoulder, with her right hand leaning on the table.Antoine Lavoisier is seated, wearing a black vest, culottes
Culottes
Culottes is a word that originated in French. Historically, "culottes" referred to the knee-breeches commonly worn by gentlemen of the European upper-classes from the late Middle Ages or Renaissance through the early nineteenth century. This style of tight pants ending just below the knee was first...
, stockings and buckled shoes, a white shirt, a white neckscarf and a powdered wig. His face turns towards his wife and he rests his left arm on the table, whilst writing with his right hand using a feather pen. The table is covered with a scarlet tablecloth, many papers, a casket, an inkwell with two more feather pens, a barometer
Barometer
A barometer is a scientific instrument used in meteorology to measure atmospheric pressure. Pressure tendency can forecast short term changes in the weather...
, a gasometer, a water still and a glass bell jar
Bell jar
A bell jar is a piece of laboratory equipment used for creating vacuums.http://www.belljar.net/about.htm It can be similar in shape to a bell, and can be manufactured out of a variety of materials . A bell jar is placed on a base which is vented to a hose fitting, which can be connected via a hose...
. A large round-bottom flask
Round-bottom flask
Round-bottom flasks are types of flasks having spherical bottoms used as laboratory glassware, mostly for chemical or biochemical work. They are typically made of glass for chemical inertness; and in modern days, they are usually made of heat-resistant borosilicate glass...
and a tap are on the floor to the right, by the table. To the table's extreme left is a chair with a large document-case and black cloth on it.
The signature is bottom left, on the table - L DAVID, PARISIIS ANNO, 1788.