'A quietly historic exhibition': Liotard and the Lavergne Family Breakfast at The National Gallery
Two identical artworks, created 25 years apart, come together for the first time in 250 years...
By
Adam Wells
November 15, 2023
The latest in The National Gallery’s ‘Discover’ series of exhibitions - a series highlighting some of the lesser-known works in the gallery’s collection in a new light - Liotard and the Lavergne Family Breakfast centres around not one, but two copies of the Seventeenth Century Swiss artist’s masterpiece. First training as a miniaturist in Germany, Jean-Étienne Liotard’s fine attention to detail and portrayal of naturalistic light developed after an extended stay in Turkey, leading him to become a significantly sought-after artist in his day - the context under which the first edition of ‘The Lavergne Family Breakfast’ came about.
Described at the exhibition’s press view by curator and Liotard scholar Dr. Francesca Whitlum-Cooper as something akin to two portraits flanking a still-life, the first edition was painted in pastels, at this time viewed as a perfectly legitimate medium, but one which remains fragile to this day. Indeed, before visitors can get to the main event, the exhibition itself opens by detailing the production and display of such pastels; far from the process of oil paintings drying onto the material, pastels even today remain a collection of tiny dry particles clinging to a canvas. This fragility - and Liotard’s own awareness of it - is illustrated later by his portrait of George Keppel, with the artist’s own handwriting on the portrait’s backboard noting that ‘we ask you not to touch the painting / and not to use a hammer’.
The real draw of the exhibition, however, is not just the pastel Lavergne Family Breakfast, but its display alongside its copy, painted in oils. Having long considered the original pastel work his masterpiece, Liotard made the highly unusual move of returning to London at the age of 71 - twenty years after the creation of the original - to produce e a copy of the piece in a completely different medium, this time utilising oils. The sheer similarity of the two pieces cannot be overstated; save for a few obvious changes due to the altering of the medium - with the oil painting favouring shadows and an improved definition of lighting - the two artworks are identical right down to the very last detail.
Visitors are encouraged to get as close as possible to both artworks to note just how alike they are and, in doing so, to gain a finer appreciation for the specifics of each medium. Where light is reflected in the pastel edition, as in the sheen of a metal coffee pot for instance, Liotard employed the use of slightly damped pastels, to clump in place and produce a definition near-unnoticeable from a distance, but which nonetheless draws the eye to the artwork’s details. While a similar technique of a thicker layer of paint is employed in the oil painting, the close-up effect is far smoother but, from a distance, is identical to its pastel counterpart. Such formal experimentation, as if Liotard set himself the challenge of achieving an identical effect in each medium, is typical of the artist’s enthusiasm to explore new ways of producing art even in his later years. On a tour of the exhibition from Dr. Whitlum-Cooper, she notes the mezzotint self-portrait around the corner from the main event, standing out for its use of varied styles of line to create a definition not often seen in such prints.
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With the entire exhibition revolving around the ‘Lavergne Family Breakfast’, everything else on display remains supplemental to these two works. Far from feeling slight, however, this rather gives the exhibition a highly focused presentation; a tracing of ‘The Chocolate Girl’ (the only remaining example of such from Liotard’s career), for example, demonstrates the sheer amount of work and attention to detail required for such an exact copy to be made. Similarly, the display of Japanese Imari-ware porcelain reminiscent of that which appears in the paintings gives the viewer a greater appreciation of the care put into those depicted by Liotard.
The opportunity to see the two main works displayed side-by-side for the first time since the completion of the oil painting 250 years ago is already enough of a reason to visit this quietly historic exhibition. That the rest of the display is curated with such care and attention to detail makes it a must-visit for anyone interested in the finer details of classical art production.
Discover: Liotard & the Lavergne Family Breakfast is showing at The National Gallery until 3rd March 2024.
The latest in The National Gallery’s ‘Discover’ series of exhibitions - a series highlighting some of the lesser-known works in the gallery’s collection in a new light - Liotard and the Lavergne Family Breakfast centres around not one, but two copies of the Seventeenth Century Swiss artist’s masterpiece. First training as a miniaturist in Germany, Jean-Étienne Liotard’s fine attention to detail and portrayal of naturalistic light developed after an extended stay in Turkey, leading him to become a significantly sought-after artist in his day - the context under which the first edition of ‘The Lavergne Family Breakfast’ came about.
Described at the exhibition’s press view by curator and Liotard scholar Dr. Francesca Whitlum-Cooper as something akin to two portraits flanking a still-life, the first edition was painted in pastels, at this time viewed as a perfectly legitimate medium, but one which remains fragile to this day. Indeed, before visitors can get to the main event, the exhibition itself opens by detailing the production and display of such pastels; far from the process of oil paintings drying onto the material, pastels even today remain a collection of tiny dry particles clinging to a canvas. This fragility - and Liotard’s own awareness of it - is illustrated later by his portrait of George Keppel, with the artist’s own handwriting on the portrait’s backboard noting that ‘we ask you not to touch the painting / and not to use a hammer’.
The real draw of the exhibition, however, is not just the pastel Lavergne Family Breakfast, but its display alongside its copy, painted in oils. Having long considered the original pastel work his masterpiece, Liotard made the highly unusual move of returning to London at the age of 71 - twenty years after the creation of the original - to produce e a copy of the piece in a completely different medium, this time utilising oils. The sheer similarity of the two pieces cannot be overstated; save for a few obvious changes due to the altering of the medium - with the oil painting favouring shadows and an improved definition of lighting - the two artworks are identical right down to the very last detail.
Visitors are encouraged to get as close as possible to both artworks to note just how alike they are and, in doing so, to gain a finer appreciation for the specifics of each medium. Where light is reflected in the pastel edition, as in the sheen of a metal coffee pot for instance, Liotard employed the use of slightly damped pastels, to clump in place and produce a definition near-unnoticeable from a distance, but which nonetheless draws the eye to the artwork’s details. While a similar technique of a thicker layer of paint is employed in the oil painting, the close-up effect is far smoother but, from a distance, is identical to its pastel counterpart. Such formal experimentation, as if Liotard set himself the challenge of achieving an identical effect in each medium, is typical of the artist’s enthusiasm to explore new ways of producing art even in his later years. On a tour of the exhibition from Dr. Whitlum-Cooper, she notes the mezzotint self-portrait around the corner from the main event, standing out for its use of varied styles of line to create a definition not often seen in such prints.
With the entire exhibition revolving around the ‘Lavergne Family Breakfast’, everything else on display remains supplemental to these two works. Far from feeling slight, however, this rather gives the exhibition a highly focused presentation; a tracing of ‘The Chocolate Girl’ (the only remaining example of such from Liotard’s career), for example, demonstrates the sheer amount of work and attention to detail required for such an exact copy to be made. Similarly, the display of Japanese Imari-ware porcelain reminiscent of that which appears in the paintings gives the viewer a greater appreciation of the care put into those depicted by Liotard.
The opportunity to see the two main works displayed side-by-side for the first time since the completion of the oil painting 250 years ago is already enough of a reason to visit this quietly historic exhibition. That the rest of the display is curated with such care and attention to detail makes it a must-visit for anyone interested in the finer details of classical art production.
Discover: Liotard & the Lavergne Family Breakfast is showing at The National Gallery until 3rd March 2024.
The latest in The National Gallery’s ‘Discover’ series of exhibitions - a series highlighting some of the lesser-known works in the gallery’s collection in a new light - Liotard and the Lavergne Family Breakfast centres around not one, but two copies of the Seventeenth Century Swiss artist’s masterpiece. First training as a miniaturist in Germany, Jean-Étienne Liotard’s fine attention to detail and portrayal of naturalistic light developed after an extended stay in Turkey, leading him to become a significantly sought-after artist in his day - the context under which the first edition of ‘The Lavergne Family Breakfast’ came about.
Described at the exhibition’s press view by curator and Liotard scholar Dr. Francesca Whitlum-Cooper as something akin to two portraits flanking a still-life, the first edition was painted in pastels, at this time viewed as a perfectly legitimate medium, but one which remains fragile to this day. Indeed, before visitors can get to the main event, the exhibition itself opens by detailing the production and display of such pastels; far from the process of oil paintings drying onto the material, pastels even today remain a collection of tiny dry particles clinging to a canvas. This fragility - and Liotard’s own awareness of it - is illustrated later by his portrait of George Keppel, with the artist’s own handwriting on the portrait’s backboard noting that ‘we ask you not to touch the painting / and not to use a hammer’.
The real draw of the exhibition, however, is not just the pastel Lavergne Family Breakfast, but its display alongside its copy, painted in oils. Having long considered the original pastel work his masterpiece, Liotard made the highly unusual move of returning to London at the age of 71 - twenty years after the creation of the original - to produce e a copy of the piece in a completely different medium, this time utilising oils. The sheer similarity of the two pieces cannot be overstated; save for a few obvious changes due to the altering of the medium - with the oil painting favouring shadows and an improved definition of lighting - the two artworks are identical right down to the very last detail.
Visitors are encouraged to get as close as possible to both artworks to note just how alike they are and, in doing so, to gain a finer appreciation for the specifics of each medium. Where light is reflected in the pastel edition, as in the sheen of a metal coffee pot for instance, Liotard employed the use of slightly damped pastels, to clump in place and produce a definition near-unnoticeable from a distance, but which nonetheless draws the eye to the artwork’s details. While a similar technique of a thicker layer of paint is employed in the oil painting, the close-up effect is far smoother but, from a distance, is identical to its pastel counterpart. Such formal experimentation, as if Liotard set himself the challenge of achieving an identical effect in each medium, is typical of the artist’s enthusiasm to explore new ways of producing art even in his later years. On a tour of the exhibition from Dr. Whitlum-Cooper, she notes the mezzotint self-portrait around the corner from the main event, standing out for its use of varied styles of line to create a definition not often seen in such prints.
With the entire exhibition revolving around the ‘Lavergne Family Breakfast’, everything else on display remains supplemental to these two works. Far from feeling slight, however, this rather gives the exhibition a highly focused presentation; a tracing of ‘The Chocolate Girl’ (the only remaining example of such from Liotard’s career), for example, demonstrates the sheer amount of work and attention to detail required for such an exact copy to be made. Similarly, the display of Japanese Imari-ware porcelain reminiscent of that which appears in the paintings gives the viewer a greater appreciation of the care put into those depicted by Liotard.
The opportunity to see the two main works displayed side-by-side for the first time since the completion of the oil painting 250 years ago is already enough of a reason to visit this quietly historic exhibition. That the rest of the display is curated with such care and attention to detail makes it a must-visit for anyone interested in the finer details of classical art production.
Discover: Liotard & the Lavergne Family Breakfast is showing at The National Gallery until 3rd March 2024.
The latest in The National Gallery’s ‘Discover’ series of exhibitions - a series highlighting some of the lesser-known works in the gallery’s collection in a new light - Liotard and the Lavergne Family Breakfast centres around not one, but two copies of the Seventeenth Century Swiss artist’s masterpiece. First training as a miniaturist in Germany, Jean-Étienne Liotard’s fine attention to detail and portrayal of naturalistic light developed after an extended stay in Turkey, leading him to become a significantly sought-after artist in his day - the context under which the first edition of ‘The Lavergne Family Breakfast’ came about.
Described at the exhibition’s press view by curator and Liotard scholar Dr. Francesca Whitlum-Cooper as something akin to two portraits flanking a still-life, the first edition was painted in pastels, at this time viewed as a perfectly legitimate medium, but one which remains fragile to this day. Indeed, before visitors can get to the main event, the exhibition itself opens by detailing the production and display of such pastels; far from the process of oil paintings drying onto the material, pastels even today remain a collection of tiny dry particles clinging to a canvas. This fragility - and Liotard’s own awareness of it - is illustrated later by his portrait of George Keppel, with the artist’s own handwriting on the portrait’s backboard noting that ‘we ask you not to touch the painting / and not to use a hammer’.
The real draw of the exhibition, however, is not just the pastel Lavergne Family Breakfast, but its display alongside its copy, painted in oils. Having long considered the original pastel work his masterpiece, Liotard made the highly unusual move of returning to London at the age of 71 - twenty years after the creation of the original - to produce e a copy of the piece in a completely different medium, this time utilising oils. The sheer similarity of the two pieces cannot be overstated; save for a few obvious changes due to the altering of the medium - with the oil painting favouring shadows and an improved definition of lighting - the two artworks are identical right down to the very last detail.
Visitors are encouraged to get as close as possible to both artworks to note just how alike they are and, in doing so, to gain a finer appreciation for the specifics of each medium. Where light is reflected in the pastel edition, as in the sheen of a metal coffee pot for instance, Liotard employed the use of slightly damped pastels, to clump in place and produce a definition near-unnoticeable from a distance, but which nonetheless draws the eye to the artwork’s details. While a similar technique of a thicker layer of paint is employed in the oil painting, the close-up effect is far smoother but, from a distance, is identical to its pastel counterpart. Such formal experimentation, as if Liotard set himself the challenge of achieving an identical effect in each medium, is typical of the artist’s enthusiasm to explore new ways of producing art even in his later years. On a tour of the exhibition from Dr. Whitlum-Cooper, she notes the mezzotint self-portrait around the corner from the main event, standing out for its use of varied styles of line to create a definition not often seen in such prints.
With the entire exhibition revolving around the ‘Lavergne Family Breakfast’, everything else on display remains supplemental to these two works. Far from feeling slight, however, this rather gives the exhibition a highly focused presentation; a tracing of ‘The Chocolate Girl’ (the only remaining example of such from Liotard’s career), for example, demonstrates the sheer amount of work and attention to detail required for such an exact copy to be made. Similarly, the display of Japanese Imari-ware porcelain reminiscent of that which appears in the paintings gives the viewer a greater appreciation of the care put into those depicted by Liotard.
The opportunity to see the two main works displayed side-by-side for the first time since the completion of the oil painting 250 years ago is already enough of a reason to visit this quietly historic exhibition. That the rest of the display is curated with such care and attention to detail makes it a must-visit for anyone interested in the finer details of classical art production.
Discover: Liotard & the Lavergne Family Breakfast is showing at The National Gallery until 3rd March 2024.
The latest in The National Gallery’s ‘Discover’ series of exhibitions - a series highlighting some of the lesser-known works in the gallery’s collection in a new light - Liotard and the Lavergne Family Breakfast centres around not one, but two copies of the Seventeenth Century Swiss artist’s masterpiece. First training as a miniaturist in Germany, Jean-Étienne Liotard’s fine attention to detail and portrayal of naturalistic light developed after an extended stay in Turkey, leading him to become a significantly sought-after artist in his day - the context under which the first edition of ‘The Lavergne Family Breakfast’ came about.
Described at the exhibition’s press view by curator and Liotard scholar Dr. Francesca Whitlum-Cooper as something akin to two portraits flanking a still-life, the first edition was painted in pastels, at this time viewed as a perfectly legitimate medium, but one which remains fragile to this day. Indeed, before visitors can get to the main event, the exhibition itself opens by detailing the production and display of such pastels; far from the process of oil paintings drying onto the material, pastels even today remain a collection of tiny dry particles clinging to a canvas. This fragility - and Liotard’s own awareness of it - is illustrated later by his portrait of George Keppel, with the artist’s own handwriting on the portrait’s backboard noting that ‘we ask you not to touch the painting / and not to use a hammer’.
The real draw of the exhibition, however, is not just the pastel Lavergne Family Breakfast, but its display alongside its copy, painted in oils. Having long considered the original pastel work his masterpiece, Liotard made the highly unusual move of returning to London at the age of 71 - twenty years after the creation of the original - to produce e a copy of the piece in a completely different medium, this time utilising oils. The sheer similarity of the two pieces cannot be overstated; save for a few obvious changes due to the altering of the medium - with the oil painting favouring shadows and an improved definition of lighting - the two artworks are identical right down to the very last detail.
Visitors are encouraged to get as close as possible to both artworks to note just how alike they are and, in doing so, to gain a finer appreciation for the specifics of each medium. Where light is reflected in the pastel edition, as in the sheen of a metal coffee pot for instance, Liotard employed the use of slightly damped pastels, to clump in place and produce a definition near-unnoticeable from a distance, but which nonetheless draws the eye to the artwork’s details. While a similar technique of a thicker layer of paint is employed in the oil painting, the close-up effect is far smoother but, from a distance, is identical to its pastel counterpart. Such formal experimentation, as if Liotard set himself the challenge of achieving an identical effect in each medium, is typical of the artist’s enthusiasm to explore new ways of producing art even in his later years. On a tour of the exhibition from Dr. Whitlum-Cooper, she notes the mezzotint self-portrait around the corner from the main event, standing out for its use of varied styles of line to create a definition not often seen in such prints.
With the entire exhibition revolving around the ‘Lavergne Family Breakfast’, everything else on display remains supplemental to these two works. Far from feeling slight, however, this rather gives the exhibition a highly focused presentation; a tracing of ‘The Chocolate Girl’ (the only remaining example of such from Liotard’s career), for example, demonstrates the sheer amount of work and attention to detail required for such an exact copy to be made. Similarly, the display of Japanese Imari-ware porcelain reminiscent of that which appears in the paintings gives the viewer a greater appreciation of the care put into those depicted by Liotard.
The opportunity to see the two main works displayed side-by-side for the first time since the completion of the oil painting 250 years ago is already enough of a reason to visit this quietly historic exhibition. That the rest of the display is curated with such care and attention to detail makes it a must-visit for anyone interested in the finer details of classical art production.
Discover: Liotard & the Lavergne Family Breakfast is showing at The National Gallery until 3rd March 2024.
The latest in The National Gallery’s ‘Discover’ series of exhibitions - a series highlighting some of the lesser-known works in the gallery’s collection in a new light - Liotard and the Lavergne Family Breakfast centres around not one, but two copies of the Seventeenth Century Swiss artist’s masterpiece. First training as a miniaturist in Germany, Jean-Étienne Liotard’s fine attention to detail and portrayal of naturalistic light developed after an extended stay in Turkey, leading him to become a significantly sought-after artist in his day - the context under which the first edition of ‘The Lavergne Family Breakfast’ came about.
Described at the exhibition’s press view by curator and Liotard scholar Dr. Francesca Whitlum-Cooper as something akin to two portraits flanking a still-life, the first edition was painted in pastels, at this time viewed as a perfectly legitimate medium, but one which remains fragile to this day. Indeed, before visitors can get to the main event, the exhibition itself opens by detailing the production and display of such pastels; far from the process of oil paintings drying onto the material, pastels even today remain a collection of tiny dry particles clinging to a canvas. This fragility - and Liotard’s own awareness of it - is illustrated later by his portrait of George Keppel, with the artist’s own handwriting on the portrait’s backboard noting that ‘we ask you not to touch the painting / and not to use a hammer’.
The real draw of the exhibition, however, is not just the pastel Lavergne Family Breakfast, but its display alongside its copy, painted in oils. Having long considered the original pastel work his masterpiece, Liotard made the highly unusual move of returning to London at the age of 71 - twenty years after the creation of the original - to produce e a copy of the piece in a completely different medium, this time utilising oils. The sheer similarity of the two pieces cannot be overstated; save for a few obvious changes due to the altering of the medium - with the oil painting favouring shadows and an improved definition of lighting - the two artworks are identical right down to the very last detail.
Visitors are encouraged to get as close as possible to both artworks to note just how alike they are and, in doing so, to gain a finer appreciation for the specifics of each medium. Where light is reflected in the pastel edition, as in the sheen of a metal coffee pot for instance, Liotard employed the use of slightly damped pastels, to clump in place and produce a definition near-unnoticeable from a distance, but which nonetheless draws the eye to the artwork’s details. While a similar technique of a thicker layer of paint is employed in the oil painting, the close-up effect is far smoother but, from a distance, is identical to its pastel counterpart. Such formal experimentation, as if Liotard set himself the challenge of achieving an identical effect in each medium, is typical of the artist’s enthusiasm to explore new ways of producing art even in his later years. On a tour of the exhibition from Dr. Whitlum-Cooper, she notes the mezzotint self-portrait around the corner from the main event, standing out for its use of varied styles of line to create a definition not often seen in such prints.
With the entire exhibition revolving around the ‘Lavergne Family Breakfast’, everything else on display remains supplemental to these two works. Far from feeling slight, however, this rather gives the exhibition a highly focused presentation; a tracing of ‘The Chocolate Girl’ (the only remaining example of such from Liotard’s career), for example, demonstrates the sheer amount of work and attention to detail required for such an exact copy to be made. Similarly, the display of Japanese Imari-ware porcelain reminiscent of that which appears in the paintings gives the viewer a greater appreciation of the care put into those depicted by Liotard.
The opportunity to see the two main works displayed side-by-side for the first time since the completion of the oil painting 250 years ago is already enough of a reason to visit this quietly historic exhibition. That the rest of the display is curated with such care and attention to detail makes it a must-visit for anyone interested in the finer details of classical art production.
Discover: Liotard & the Lavergne Family Breakfast is showing at The National Gallery until 3rd March 2024.
The latest in The National Gallery’s ‘Discover’ series of exhibitions - a series highlighting some of the lesser-known works in the gallery’s collection in a new light - Liotard and the Lavergne Family Breakfast centres around not one, but two copies of the Seventeenth Century Swiss artist’s masterpiece. First training as a miniaturist in Germany, Jean-Étienne Liotard’s fine attention to detail and portrayal of naturalistic light developed after an extended stay in Turkey, leading him to become a significantly sought-after artist in his day - the context under which the first edition of ‘The Lavergne Family Breakfast’ came about.
Described at the exhibition’s press view by curator and Liotard scholar Dr. Francesca Whitlum-Cooper as something akin to two portraits flanking a still-life, the first edition was painted in pastels, at this time viewed as a perfectly legitimate medium, but one which remains fragile to this day. Indeed, before visitors can get to the main event, the exhibition itself opens by detailing the production and display of such pastels; far from the process of oil paintings drying onto the material, pastels even today remain a collection of tiny dry particles clinging to a canvas. This fragility - and Liotard’s own awareness of it - is illustrated later by his portrait of George Keppel, with the artist’s own handwriting on the portrait’s backboard noting that ‘we ask you not to touch the painting / and not to use a hammer’.
The real draw of the exhibition, however, is not just the pastel Lavergne Family Breakfast, but its display alongside its copy, painted in oils. Having long considered the original pastel work his masterpiece, Liotard made the highly unusual move of returning to London at the age of 71 - twenty years after the creation of the original - to produce e a copy of the piece in a completely different medium, this time utilising oils. The sheer similarity of the two pieces cannot be overstated; save for a few obvious changes due to the altering of the medium - with the oil painting favouring shadows and an improved definition of lighting - the two artworks are identical right down to the very last detail.
Visitors are encouraged to get as close as possible to both artworks to note just how alike they are and, in doing so, to gain a finer appreciation for the specifics of each medium. Where light is reflected in the pastel edition, as in the sheen of a metal coffee pot for instance, Liotard employed the use of slightly damped pastels, to clump in place and produce a definition near-unnoticeable from a distance, but which nonetheless draws the eye to the artwork’s details. While a similar technique of a thicker layer of paint is employed in the oil painting, the close-up effect is far smoother but, from a distance, is identical to its pastel counterpart. Such formal experimentation, as if Liotard set himself the challenge of achieving an identical effect in each medium, is typical of the artist’s enthusiasm to explore new ways of producing art even in his later years. On a tour of the exhibition from Dr. Whitlum-Cooper, she notes the mezzotint self-portrait around the corner from the main event, standing out for its use of varied styles of line to create a definition not often seen in such prints.
With the entire exhibition revolving around the ‘Lavergne Family Breakfast’, everything else on display remains supplemental to these two works. Far from feeling slight, however, this rather gives the exhibition a highly focused presentation; a tracing of ‘The Chocolate Girl’ (the only remaining example of such from Liotard’s career), for example, demonstrates the sheer amount of work and attention to detail required for such an exact copy to be made. Similarly, the display of Japanese Imari-ware porcelain reminiscent of that which appears in the paintings gives the viewer a greater appreciation of the care put into those depicted by Liotard.
The opportunity to see the two main works displayed side-by-side for the first time since the completion of the oil painting 250 years ago is already enough of a reason to visit this quietly historic exhibition. That the rest of the display is curated with such care and attention to detail makes it a must-visit for anyone interested in the finer details of classical art production.
Discover: Liotard & the Lavergne Family Breakfast is showing at The National Gallery until 3rd March 2024.
The latest in The National Gallery’s ‘Discover’ series of exhibitions - a series highlighting some of the lesser-known works in the gallery’s collection in a new light - Liotard and the Lavergne Family Breakfast centres around not one, but two copies of the Seventeenth Century Swiss artist’s masterpiece. First training as a miniaturist in Germany, Jean-Étienne Liotard’s fine attention to detail and portrayal of naturalistic light developed after an extended stay in Turkey, leading him to become a significantly sought-after artist in his day - the context under which the first edition of ‘The Lavergne Family Breakfast’ came about.
Described at the exhibition’s press view by curator and Liotard scholar Dr. Francesca Whitlum-Cooper as something akin to two portraits flanking a still-life, the first edition was painted in pastels, at this time viewed as a perfectly legitimate medium, but one which remains fragile to this day. Indeed, before visitors can get to the main event, the exhibition itself opens by detailing the production and display of such pastels; far from the process of oil paintings drying onto the material, pastels even today remain a collection of tiny dry particles clinging to a canvas. This fragility - and Liotard’s own awareness of it - is illustrated later by his portrait of George Keppel, with the artist’s own handwriting on the portrait’s backboard noting that ‘we ask you not to touch the painting / and not to use a hammer’.
The real draw of the exhibition, however, is not just the pastel Lavergne Family Breakfast, but its display alongside its copy, painted in oils. Having long considered the original pastel work his masterpiece, Liotard made the highly unusual move of returning to London at the age of 71 - twenty years after the creation of the original - to produce e a copy of the piece in a completely different medium, this time utilising oils. The sheer similarity of the two pieces cannot be overstated; save for a few obvious changes due to the altering of the medium - with the oil painting favouring shadows and an improved definition of lighting - the two artworks are identical right down to the very last detail.
Visitors are encouraged to get as close as possible to both artworks to note just how alike they are and, in doing so, to gain a finer appreciation for the specifics of each medium. Where light is reflected in the pastel edition, as in the sheen of a metal coffee pot for instance, Liotard employed the use of slightly damped pastels, to clump in place and produce a definition near-unnoticeable from a distance, but which nonetheless draws the eye to the artwork’s details. While a similar technique of a thicker layer of paint is employed in the oil painting, the close-up effect is far smoother but, from a distance, is identical to its pastel counterpart. Such formal experimentation, as if Liotard set himself the challenge of achieving an identical effect in each medium, is typical of the artist’s enthusiasm to explore new ways of producing art even in his later years. On a tour of the exhibition from Dr. Whitlum-Cooper, she notes the mezzotint self-portrait around the corner from the main event, standing out for its use of varied styles of line to create a definition not often seen in such prints.
With the entire exhibition revolving around the ‘Lavergne Family Breakfast’, everything else on display remains supplemental to these two works. Far from feeling slight, however, this rather gives the exhibition a highly focused presentation; a tracing of ‘The Chocolate Girl’ (the only remaining example of such from Liotard’s career), for example, demonstrates the sheer amount of work and attention to detail required for such an exact copy to be made. Similarly, the display of Japanese Imari-ware porcelain reminiscent of that which appears in the paintings gives the viewer a greater appreciation of the care put into those depicted by Liotard.
The opportunity to see the two main works displayed side-by-side for the first time since the completion of the oil painting 250 years ago is already enough of a reason to visit this quietly historic exhibition. That the rest of the display is curated with such care and attention to detail makes it a must-visit for anyone interested in the finer details of classical art production.
Discover: Liotard & the Lavergne Family Breakfast is showing at The National Gallery until 3rd March 2024.
The latest in The National Gallery’s ‘Discover’ series of exhibitions - a series highlighting some of the lesser-known works in the gallery’s collection in a new light - Liotard and the Lavergne Family Breakfast centres around not one, but two copies of the Seventeenth Century Swiss artist’s masterpiece. First training as a miniaturist in Germany, Jean-Étienne Liotard’s fine attention to detail and portrayal of naturalistic light developed after an extended stay in Turkey, leading him to become a significantly sought-after artist in his day - the context under which the first edition of ‘The Lavergne Family Breakfast’ came about.
Described at the exhibition’s press view by curator and Liotard scholar Dr. Francesca Whitlum-Cooper as something akin to two portraits flanking a still-life, the first edition was painted in pastels, at this time viewed as a perfectly legitimate medium, but one which remains fragile to this day. Indeed, before visitors can get to the main event, the exhibition itself opens by detailing the production and display of such pastels; far from the process of oil paintings drying onto the material, pastels even today remain a collection of tiny dry particles clinging to a canvas. This fragility - and Liotard’s own awareness of it - is illustrated later by his portrait of George Keppel, with the artist’s own handwriting on the portrait’s backboard noting that ‘we ask you not to touch the painting / and not to use a hammer’.
The real draw of the exhibition, however, is not just the pastel Lavergne Family Breakfast, but its display alongside its copy, painted in oils. Having long considered the original pastel work his masterpiece, Liotard made the highly unusual move of returning to London at the age of 71 - twenty years after the creation of the original - to produce e a copy of the piece in a completely different medium, this time utilising oils. The sheer similarity of the two pieces cannot be overstated; save for a few obvious changes due to the altering of the medium - with the oil painting favouring shadows and an improved definition of lighting - the two artworks are identical right down to the very last detail.
Visitors are encouraged to get as close as possible to both artworks to note just how alike they are and, in doing so, to gain a finer appreciation for the specifics of each medium. Where light is reflected in the pastel edition, as in the sheen of a metal coffee pot for instance, Liotard employed the use of slightly damped pastels, to clump in place and produce a definition near-unnoticeable from a distance, but which nonetheless draws the eye to the artwork’s details. While a similar technique of a thicker layer of paint is employed in the oil painting, the close-up effect is far smoother but, from a distance, is identical to its pastel counterpart. Such formal experimentation, as if Liotard set himself the challenge of achieving an identical effect in each medium, is typical of the artist’s enthusiasm to explore new ways of producing art even in his later years. On a tour of the exhibition from Dr. Whitlum-Cooper, she notes the mezzotint self-portrait around the corner from the main event, standing out for its use of varied styles of line to create a definition not often seen in such prints.
With the entire exhibition revolving around the ‘Lavergne Family Breakfast’, everything else on display remains supplemental to these two works. Far from feeling slight, however, this rather gives the exhibition a highly focused presentation; a tracing of ‘The Chocolate Girl’ (the only remaining example of such from Liotard’s career), for example, demonstrates the sheer amount of work and attention to detail required for such an exact copy to be made. Similarly, the display of Japanese Imari-ware porcelain reminiscent of that which appears in the paintings gives the viewer a greater appreciation of the care put into those depicted by Liotard.
The opportunity to see the two main works displayed side-by-side for the first time since the completion of the oil painting 250 years ago is already enough of a reason to visit this quietly historic exhibition. That the rest of the display is curated with such care and attention to detail makes it a must-visit for anyone interested in the finer details of classical art production.
Discover: Liotard & the Lavergne Family Breakfast is showing at The National Gallery until 3rd March 2024.
The latest in The National Gallery’s ‘Discover’ series of exhibitions - a series highlighting some of the lesser-known works in the gallery’s collection in a new light - Liotard and the Lavergne Family Breakfast centres around not one, but two copies of the Seventeenth Century Swiss artist’s masterpiece. First training as a miniaturist in Germany, Jean-Étienne Liotard’s fine attention to detail and portrayal of naturalistic light developed after an extended stay in Turkey, leading him to become a significantly sought-after artist in his day - the context under which the first edition of ‘The Lavergne Family Breakfast’ came about.
Described at the exhibition’s press view by curator and Liotard scholar Dr. Francesca Whitlum-Cooper as something akin to two portraits flanking a still-life, the first edition was painted in pastels, at this time viewed as a perfectly legitimate medium, but one which remains fragile to this day. Indeed, before visitors can get to the main event, the exhibition itself opens by detailing the production and display of such pastels; far from the process of oil paintings drying onto the material, pastels even today remain a collection of tiny dry particles clinging to a canvas. This fragility - and Liotard’s own awareness of it - is illustrated later by his portrait of George Keppel, with the artist’s own handwriting on the portrait’s backboard noting that ‘we ask you not to touch the painting / and not to use a hammer’.
The real draw of the exhibition, however, is not just the pastel Lavergne Family Breakfast, but its display alongside its copy, painted in oils. Having long considered the original pastel work his masterpiece, Liotard made the highly unusual move of returning to London at the age of 71 - twenty years after the creation of the original - to produce e a copy of the piece in a completely different medium, this time utilising oils. The sheer similarity of the two pieces cannot be overstated; save for a few obvious changes due to the altering of the medium - with the oil painting favouring shadows and an improved definition of lighting - the two artworks are identical right down to the very last detail.
Visitors are encouraged to get as close as possible to both artworks to note just how alike they are and, in doing so, to gain a finer appreciation for the specifics of each medium. Where light is reflected in the pastel edition, as in the sheen of a metal coffee pot for instance, Liotard employed the use of slightly damped pastels, to clump in place and produce a definition near-unnoticeable from a distance, but which nonetheless draws the eye to the artwork’s details. While a similar technique of a thicker layer of paint is employed in the oil painting, the close-up effect is far smoother but, from a distance, is identical to its pastel counterpart. Such formal experimentation, as if Liotard set himself the challenge of achieving an identical effect in each medium, is typical of the artist’s enthusiasm to explore new ways of producing art even in his later years. On a tour of the exhibition from Dr. Whitlum-Cooper, she notes the mezzotint self-portrait around the corner from the main event, standing out for its use of varied styles of line to create a definition not often seen in such prints.
With the entire exhibition revolving around the ‘Lavergne Family Breakfast’, everything else on display remains supplemental to these two works. Far from feeling slight, however, this rather gives the exhibition a highly focused presentation; a tracing of ‘The Chocolate Girl’ (the only remaining example of such from Liotard’s career), for example, demonstrates the sheer amount of work and attention to detail required for such an exact copy to be made. Similarly, the display of Japanese Imari-ware porcelain reminiscent of that which appears in the paintings gives the viewer a greater appreciation of the care put into those depicted by Liotard.
The opportunity to see the two main works displayed side-by-side for the first time since the completion of the oil painting 250 years ago is already enough of a reason to visit this quietly historic exhibition. That the rest of the display is curated with such care and attention to detail makes it a must-visit for anyone interested in the finer details of classical art production.
Discover: Liotard & the Lavergne Family Breakfast is showing at The National Gallery until 3rd March 2024.
The latest in The National Gallery’s ‘Discover’ series of exhibitions - a series highlighting some of the lesser-known works in the gallery’s collection in a new light - Liotard and the Lavergne Family Breakfast centres around not one, but two copies of the Seventeenth Century Swiss artist’s masterpiece. First training as a miniaturist in Germany, Jean-Étienne Liotard’s fine attention to detail and portrayal of naturalistic light developed after an extended stay in Turkey, leading him to become a significantly sought-after artist in his day - the context under which the first edition of ‘The Lavergne Family Breakfast’ came about.
Described at the exhibition’s press view by curator and Liotard scholar Dr. Francesca Whitlum-Cooper as something akin to two portraits flanking a still-life, the first edition was painted in pastels, at this time viewed as a perfectly legitimate medium, but one which remains fragile to this day. Indeed, before visitors can get to the main event, the exhibition itself opens by detailing the production and display of such pastels; far from the process of oil paintings drying onto the material, pastels even today remain a collection of tiny dry particles clinging to a canvas. This fragility - and Liotard’s own awareness of it - is illustrated later by his portrait of George Keppel, with the artist’s own handwriting on the portrait’s backboard noting that ‘we ask you not to touch the painting / and not to use a hammer’.
The real draw of the exhibition, however, is not just the pastel Lavergne Family Breakfast, but its display alongside its copy, painted in oils. Having long considered the original pastel work his masterpiece, Liotard made the highly unusual move of returning to London at the age of 71 - twenty years after the creation of the original - to produce e a copy of the piece in a completely different medium, this time utilising oils. The sheer similarity of the two pieces cannot be overstated; save for a few obvious changes due to the altering of the medium - with the oil painting favouring shadows and an improved definition of lighting - the two artworks are identical right down to the very last detail.
Visitors are encouraged to get as close as possible to both artworks to note just how alike they are and, in doing so, to gain a finer appreciation for the specifics of each medium. Where light is reflected in the pastel edition, as in the sheen of a metal coffee pot for instance, Liotard employed the use of slightly damped pastels, to clump in place and produce a definition near-unnoticeable from a distance, but which nonetheless draws the eye to the artwork’s details. While a similar technique of a thicker layer of paint is employed in the oil painting, the close-up effect is far smoother but, from a distance, is identical to its pastel counterpart. Such formal experimentation, as if Liotard set himself the challenge of achieving an identical effect in each medium, is typical of the artist’s enthusiasm to explore new ways of producing art even in his later years. On a tour of the exhibition from Dr. Whitlum-Cooper, she notes the mezzotint self-portrait around the corner from the main event, standing out for its use of varied styles of line to create a definition not often seen in such prints.
With the entire exhibition revolving around the ‘Lavergne Family Breakfast’, everything else on display remains supplemental to these two works. Far from feeling slight, however, this rather gives the exhibition a highly focused presentation; a tracing of ‘The Chocolate Girl’ (the only remaining example of such from Liotard’s career), for example, demonstrates the sheer amount of work and attention to detail required for such an exact copy to be made. Similarly, the display of Japanese Imari-ware porcelain reminiscent of that which appears in the paintings gives the viewer a greater appreciation of the care put into those depicted by Liotard.
The opportunity to see the two main works displayed side-by-side for the first time since the completion of the oil painting 250 years ago is already enough of a reason to visit this quietly historic exhibition. That the rest of the display is curated with such care and attention to detail makes it a must-visit for anyone interested in the finer details of classical art production.
Discover: Liotard & the Lavergne Family Breakfast is showing at The National Gallery until 3rd March 2024.
