Shop art print and framed art Le Panier de fraises des bois by Jean Siméon Chardin

The Basket of Wild Strawberries is a painting by the French painter Jean Siméon Chardin (1699-1779). Signed lower left, this still life dated 1761 came from the collection of the seed merchant François Marcille (1790-1856), who owned almost 4,500 paintings, including 40 by Boucher, 30 by Chardin and 25 by Fragonard. The names of the painting's original owners are unknown. It was not until 1862 that the work was mentioned by an art historian, Charles Blanc, and then, a few months later, by the Goncourt brothers. On 23 March 2022, the painting was offered for sale in Paris by Artcurial, and it was estimated that it could sell for more than €15 million. It eventually fetched a record bid of just over €24 million from New York art dealer Adam Williams on behalf of the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. A few weeks later, the French government decided to declare the painting a "national treasure". This provision suspended the sale for a period of thirty months, giving the government time to raise the funds needed to acquire it. The Ministry of Culture wanted the painting to be included in the collections of the Louvre. The painting depicts "a tall conical pile of wild strawberries in a basket, a glass of water, a peach, two cherries and two white carnations", all placed on a thick wooden table. Pierre Rosenberg, former president and director of the Louvre, emphasised "the extreme simplicity of the composition, which eliminates all detail and achieves perfect balance, and [...]

 

This artwork is a painting from the classical period. It belongs to the baroque styles and rococo styles.

 

« Le Panier de fraises des bois » is kept at Private Collection.

 

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