Emile Pierre Metzmacher (French, 1815-1890)
Lot 17

Emile Pierre Metzmacher (French, 1815-1890)

Après les maitres

Closed16 April 2015

Price Realised

GBP 16,250

More Information

How to sell

Emile Pierre Metzmacher (French, 1815-1890)
Après les maitres
signed and dated 'E. Metzmacher/1873' (lower left)
oil on canvas
21 ½ x 15 5/8 in. (54.5 x 39.5 cm.)

Specialist note

Metzmacher studied under Marc-Charles-Gabriel Gleyre and Florent Joseph Marie Willems. Like Willems, he would compose scenes of solitary figures in lavish interiors.

His most humorous works depict finely dressed servants confidently enjoying the riches of their master's home. Here, the maid's plumed feather duster is laid to one side while she tentatively dips a soft stolen treat into the port. This secret treat is knowingly shared only with the viewer; her eye contact invites them into this furtive moment. The opulence of the home is exemplified by the highly detailed finish to the work.