Pierre Hubert Subleyras (1699–1749) — French artist who painted in the Baroque and early Neoclassical styles. His contemporaries valued him as a good portraitist and historical painter, but in our time he is better known as the author of piquant illustrations to La Fontaine's fables, which he painted more for fun and to earn money. As often happens, any frivolous and unconventional picture is remembered much better than just a good one on a familiar historical theme. However, his lesser-known paintings are also very interesting and executed at a good artistic level.
Self-portrait
Artist's Studio
Pierre Subleyras was born in the French town of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, located in the south of France. His father taught him his first painting lessons, then he went to Toulouse, where he studied with the artist Antoine Rival, and at the age of 27, he finally managed to save up money to enter the Royal Academy of Painting. Two years later, Subleyras took part in the competition for the Rome Prize, which allowed him to live for several years at the Academy's expense in Rome and study the work of old Italian masters. Rome was considered the main city for artists at that time, much like Paris in the 19th century, and when Subleyras won the competition and went to Italy, everything he saw impressed him so much that he decided to stay there for the rest of his life.
"Supper in the House of the Pharisee" ("Christ's Visit to the House of Simon the Pharisee")
In Rome, he was lucky enough to receive a good commission to paint the picture “Supper in the House of the Pharisee”, which was very much liked by the Saxon Elector Frederick Christian and Subleyras was accepted into the Guild of Saint Luke.
Mass of Saint Basil
One of Subleyras's most famous paintings, painted in 1743, is kept in the Hermitage. This is the Mass of Saint Basil. According to the plot of the painting, Basil the Great, already revered as a saint, is taking communion. The young Emperor Valens, who was supposed to take communion first, could not bear the solemnity of the moment and fainted from excitement.
St John of Avila (c.1499-1569)
Another iconic painting by Subleyras is the portrait of John of Avila. John, after being ordained a priest, decided to go preach in the New World, that is, in South America, and considering that he did not need wealth in such a difficult mission, he gave it to the poor. However, at the insistence of the Archbishop of Seville, he changed his mind and went to strengthen Catholicism in Andalusia, and did it so successfully that he was recognized as a saint.
Pierre's godfather's mare
One of Subleyras's most frivolous paintings, "The Mare of Godfather Pierre," is also in the Hermitage. According to the plot, a certain amorous priest desired the wife of a poor man. Her husband really needed a horse, and the priest offered to temporarily turn his wife into a horse. To do this, she only had to undress and get on all fours, and then the priest promised to do everything himself. The husband, who was carefully watching the ritual, suspected something was wrong when the priest began to "attach a tail to the mare." However, the resourceful priest immediately declared that now the witchcraft would not work, and the jealous husband would be left without a horse.
The Roman Charity
The painting mocked the deep superstitions that prevailed among the common people at the time, and at the same time ridiculed the clergy. Of course, Subleyras painted it for a private commission given by the Duke of Saint-Aignan, and it could not have been exhibited at any exhibition at that time. And exhibitions were not usually held then, and the paintings quickly flew off to the powers that be, since demand outstripped supply.
The pack saddle
Another "indecent" painting by Subleyras is "The pack saddle". According to the plot, the artist had to go away on business, leaving his young wife at home. Fearing that she might cheat on him, he drew a picture of a donkey just above her most interesting place, hoping that if she cheated, it would definitely be erased. However, his wife did cheat on him with an artist friend, and the drawing was erased. But her lover did not lose his head and decided to depict a new donkey, but he overdid it a bit and also drew a saddle. By the way, this painting is also kept in the Hermitage, perhaps that is why our viewers know them so well.
Portrait of Pope Benedict XIV
Although it is unlikely that Subleyras himself would have been too happy to learn that in the memory of his descendants he remained as the author of not very decent paintings, created by him solely for the sake of earning money.
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