Pietro Longhi, 'A Lady receiving a Cavalier', 1745-55
About the work
Overview
Pietro Longhi has combined an image of gallantry with a glimpse of domestic life – two maids at the left work at an embroidery frame. The elegantly dressed lady of the house welcomes a dashing gentleman, who places his hand on his heart as he bows from the waist. She leans towards him and lightly fans herself.
A painting hanging on the wall behind shows Diana, the chaste goddess of hunting, surrounded by cupids who decorate a nude sculpture. This is possibly of the garden god, Pan, who is often associated with sexuality. The figure of Diana may allude to the chastity of the woman in the foreground, and Pan to the amorous intentions of her companion.
The background is fairly muted, but Longhi has included flashes of colour in the lady’s pink floral brooch and in the gold embroidered edges of the man’s jacket.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- A Lady receiving a Cavalier
- Artist
- Pietro Longhi
- Artist dates
- 1701 - 1785
- Date made
- 1745-55
- Medium and support
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 61.5 × 50.7 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Bequeathed by Mrs Mary Venetia James from the Arthur James collection, 1948
- Inventory number
- NG5841
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Michael Levey, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Italian Schools’, London 1986; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Exhibition history
-
2023Masterpieces from the National GalleryShanghai Art Museum East17 January 2023 - 7 May 2023National Museum of Korea2 June 2023 - 9 October 2023Hong Kong Palace Museum22 November 2023 - 11 April 2024Chimei Museum2 May 2024 - 1 September 2024
Bibliography
-
1955The National Gallery, The National Gallery: 1938 - 1954, London 1955
-
1956Levey, Michael, National Gallery Catalogues: The Eighteenth Century Italian Schools, London 1956
-
1986Levey, Michael, National Gallery Catalogues: The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Italian Schools, London 1986
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.
Images
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