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Venus preparing herself

Venus preparing herself
(La Toilette de Vénus)
 1815

Medium
oil on canvas
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 2000
Gallery location
Not on display
 

About this work

This work was produced by Jean-Baptiste Regnault towards the end of his highly successful career as one of the foremost artists working in France during the turbulent years of the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon. In La Toilette de Vénus, the artist uses a theme from classical mythology as a pretext for indulging his love of painting the female nude. Regnault’s sensuous confection, which presents an erotic subject at the scale – and with the impact – of a history painting, creates an air of an elaborate private fantasy.

Artwork Details

Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
247.0 × 205.0 cm
Inscription
inscribed in brown paint l.r.: Ja, li (li above a) Regnault, ft. 1815.
Accession Number
1998.375
Department
International Painting
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 2000
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited
Gallery location
Not on display
Subjects (general)
Human Figures Religion and Mythology
Subjects (specific)
beauty deities narrative art nudes (representations) putti (children) sexuality toilette (activity) Venus (Roman deity)
Movements
Neoclassicism
Provenance
Remained with the artist until his death, 1829; included in the artist's studio sale, Bonnefons, Paris, 1-3 March, 1830, no. 20; purchased by Jean-Francois Regnault (1789–1843, son of the artist), 1830–43; posthumous inventory of Jean-Francois Regnault, Paris, 1843; by descent to Antoine-Louis Regnault (1788–1856, son of artist), 1843–56; Antoine-Louis Regnault estate sale, 24 January 1857, no. 29 as La Toílette de Vénus; allegedly with Jacques Seligmann (dealer-collector), Paris (dates unknown); allegedly in the collection of William Randolph Hearst until 1950; acquired by Dr. Siegfried Aram (dealer), New York, October 1950; collection of Walter P. Chrysler, Jnr, 1950–89; included in Walter P Chrysler Jnr estate sale, Sotheby's, New York, 1 June 1989, no. 106; purchased by Richard L. Feigen, New York (dealer), 1989; from whom acquired for the Felton Bequest, 1998.

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