catalog text
"PREPARING THE PLOW" OIL PAINTING ON CANVAS BY EMILÉ JACQUE (FRENCH, 1848-1912)
Signed lower left "E. Jacque", housed in original restored frame
Item # 012FHR16A
A glimpse into the struggles of the 19th century, this fine Barbizon scene by Émile Jacque discards with the romance and nostalgia of peasantry to capture a young farmer together with his plow stuck in the mud. His pair of work-horses stand idly by while he frees the plow. He depicts the farmer as tidy and focused, bathed in sunlight under a bright cheery sky.
Like his father, Charles Émile Jacque, Émile was deeply interested in both the Barbizon technique of painting and used animals in most of his scenes, but focused much more heavily on including figures and horses in his scenes. For that matter, when looking over a brief survey of his paintings that have sold at auction in the Benezit, all but a handful are Equestrian with a particular emphasis on their partnership with the farmer. He was the eldest son of Charles Jacque and studied under the famous Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904). He received an honourable mention at the Exposition Universelle in 1889 and a third-class medal in 1901.
Literature:
- E. Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Vol. VII, Gründ, 2006, p. 679-80
Measurements: 9 5/8" H x 13 1/8" W [canvas]; 16 3/4" H x 20 1/4" W [frame]
Condition Report:
Original restored frame with minor cracks, oxidization and losses - overall remaining in excellent condition. Clean vibrant surface. Light surface craquelure throughout. Under UV showing inpainting/touchups of perhaps 5% of surface.