Interior portrait
The interior portrait (portrait d'intérieur) or, in German, Zimmerbild (room picture), is a pictorial genre that appeared in Europe near the end of the 17th century and enjoyed a great vogue in the second half of the 19th century. It involves a careful, detailed representation of a living space, without any people. These paintings were generally rendered as
Birth of the genre
The interior portrait should not be confused with what is called a "conversation piece" in England; a term which designates a scene with a group of people engaged in some activity and often placed outdoors. The true interior piece shows only the room and decor, although previous activity may be suggested by the placement of articles in the room.
This type of scene first appears near the end of the 17th century. At that time, the intent was entirely descriptive. They were usually done specifically to show the contents of an art gallery, personal library or cabinet of curiosities. One of the first known examples depicts the library of Samuel Pepys in London, dating from 1693. They are still valued today by researchers and decorators. In the case of Pepys, it can be seen, firsthand, how a scholar of that time arranges his books in a bookcase (an innovation at that time), uses a lectern, places cushions for his comfort, hangs maps, etc.
It was not until the last quarter of the 18th century that a new type of interior portrait with a different intent made its appearance. This type first arose in architectural firms and was done for the benefit of their clients. Great architects such as the James Adam and his brother Robert Adam of Scotland and François-Joseph Bélanger would execute watercolors of their previous projects to entice prospective customers. This created a fad among the wealthy and the nobility to commission paintings of their own rooms, to show off and preserve for posterity. These paintings were often compiled into albums. This craze was particularly prevalent in England. From there, it spread widely throughout Europe.
Apogee in the 19th century
The first historically important example of the interior portrait represents a small art gallery set up by the
The immense popularity of these paintings in the 19th century can be explained by many factors. Among the
Speciality artists
At a time when every cultured young woman learned to paint watercolors, many painted their own rooms or the ones where they were given their lessons. Most of the surviving examples are anonymous and rarely of high quality, but they often have a charm that compensates for what they lack in technical expertise.[5][6]
However, some members of the aristocracy had real talent, verging on the professional. The Polish Count Artur Potocki, for example, travelled widely, painting watercolors of the hotel rooms and other places where he stayed, from Rome to London.
Nevertheless, virtually all the highest-quality works were produced by professionals with exceptional virtuosity in watercolors and a mastery of perspective...especially conical perspective, with two or three vanishing points, which produces an eerily photographic effect for modern eyes.
With only a few exceptions, such as Jean-Baptiste Isabey and Eugène Lami of France, architect John Nash and furniture-maker Thomas Sheraton (both of England), few artists who dealt exclusively with these portraits are still familiar today. Among some notable artists who produced them, not previously mentioned:
- In England: William Henry Hunt, Mary Ellen Best, William Henry Pyne.
- In France: Charles Percier, Adrien Dauzats.
- In Germany and Austria: Ferdinand Rothbart, Rudolf von Alt, Eduard Gaertner, Emanuel Stöckler.
- In Russia: .
- In Poland, Aleksander Gryglewski.
Recent expositions
- House Proud: Nineteenth-century Watercolor Interiors from the Thaw Collection, Cooper-Hewith National Design Museum (a division of the Smithsonian, New York, 12 August 2008 – 25 January 2009
- Mario Praz - Scènes d'intérieur, Bibliothèque Marmottan, Boulogne-Billancourt, 20 November 2002 - 15 February 2003
References
Further reading
- Patrick Favardin, Scènes d'intérieur, Aquarelles des collections Mario Praz et Chigi, Norma, Paris 2002, ISBN 2-909283-73-9
- Patrick Mauriès, Alexandre Serebriakoff. portraitiste d'intérieurs, Franco Maria Ricci, Paris 1990, ISBN 978-88-216-2038-6