(Paris 1703–1770)
An Allegory of Poetry,
oil on canvas, diameter 82 cm, framed

Provenance:
Sir Charles Henry Coote, 9th Baronet (1792–1864), Ballyfin House, Irland;
Sir Charles Henry Coote, 10th Baronet (1815–1895);
The Rev. Sir Algernon Coote, 11th Baronet (1817–1899);
Sir Algernon Charles Plumptre Coote, 12th Baronet (1847–1920);
Sale, Bennett & Son of Ormond Quay, Sale Ballyfin House, 1923, lot 423;
Lady Coote, Monkton House, Wiltshire

We are grateful to Alastair Laing for proposing the attribution to Boucher and his workshop after examining the present painting in the original.

We would also like to thank Kevin Mulligan for his help in researching the provenance.

An approaching putto carrying a laurel wreath and a burning torch as symbols of victory and peace is about to crown the personification of Poetry seated at centre, identifiable by the scroll, the flute, and the lyre. This tondo is a good example of Boucher’s small and mid-sized allegories, which frequently formed part of entire series and were used to decorate the salons of Parisian hôtels. These rooms were panelled with painted and gilded boiseries into which such paintings were inserted. The present Allegory of Poetry was soon changed into a roundel from its original rectangular format, which might be accounted for by its having been adapted to the place for which it would be used. It was preserved in an Irish private collection for almost 200 years and was not known to Alexandre Ananoff, the author of the artist’s catalogue raisonné.

François Boucher painted a first three-figure version of the Allegory of Poetry in 1748, which is unsigned and undated (ex Rothschild Collection, Mentmore Towers). Due to certain iconographic clues, Alastair Laing associated it with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748), which allows us to date the painting. A variant painted in 1753 (according to A. Laing also by Boucher and his workshop) is preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (acc. no. 69.155.2.); a series of four Allegories of the Fine Arts whose Poetry closely resembles the present painting is in the former Rothschild Collection in Ascott Park, Buckinghamshire.

Laing thinks that the version offered here is superior to that in Ascott Park in terms of quality and dates it to around 1758. He writes: ‘Your picture is somewhat later, probably of around 1758, which is the date on the only signed picture in the set of four ovals at Ascott representing the Arts, ‘Sculpture’. The ‘Poetry’ in that, which is very similar in composition to your painting of the subject, does not seem to me autograph: it may have been painted by Boucher’s studio assistants, to make up the set. Your tondo seems to me superior to the Ascott picture, and to be at least partially autograph. The putto symbolising ‘Poetry’ in particular, looks as though it was executed by Boucher himself, as do some other parts, including the uppermost dove (here of Peace, rather than of Venus). What probably happened is that studio assistants laid in and partially executed the picture according to a design of Boucher’s, and that he finished off the most important parts of it.’

The present Allegory of Poetry was long installed at Ballyfin House, one of the finest Irish mansions. The painting collection compiled by Sir Charles Coote in the 19th century was thought to be the most important one in Ireland. Major parts of the collection were sold at several auctions held after the sale of Ballyfin House, whereas the present painting from Boucher’s workshop remained with the family until recently.

Additional picture
Allegory of Poetry, formerly Rothschild Collection, Ascott Park, Buckinghamshire