Dining and revelry in French rococo art
Abstract
This thesis explores the popularization of the theme of the 'hunt luncheon' in the Rococo
period, within the context of the châteaux renovations undertaken during the reign of Louis
XV. In 1730s, the young king commissioned four paintings for newly conceived private
dining rooms at Versailles and Fontainebleau. For the king's new salle à manger at
Versailles, the Bâtiments du Roi asked Jean-François de Troy (1679-1752) to paint Le
déjeuner d'huitres and Nicolas Lancret (1690-1743) for Le déjeuner de jambon. At
Fontainebleau, de Troy was asked to paint an outdoor scene entitled Le déjeuner de chasse,
and Carle Van Loo (1705-1765) La halte de chasse for the same room. Not only was the
theme of these commissions relatively new to French art, but the size of the works was
remarkable for what might be called tableaux de modes and for their placement at these royal
châteaux. Moreover, the salle à manger was a relatively new and fashionable room type,
introduced into elite domestic architecture in the eighteenth century.
Table of Contents
Versailles: the genesis of the salle a manger and dining scenes -- Fontainbleu: combining dining scenes with the theme of the hunt -- The influence of the king; imitation of royal taste -- Conclusion
Degree
MA (Master of Arts)
Thesis Department
Rights
Open Access (fully available)
Copyright retained by author