Théodule Augustin Ribot (French, 1823-1891)

La fête du chef is among the earliest and unquestionably one of the most significant examples from Théodule Ribot's spirited series of paintings showing cooks in the kitchen. Ribot made his artistic debut at the Salon of 1861 with these playful portrayals of chefs.
With their dark interiors punctuated by streams of dramatic lighting, Ribot's paintings reveal the artist's interest in the work of Spanish and Dutch Baroque masters Ribera and Rembrandt. In La fête du chef, Ribot uses this theatrical lighting to highlight the ruddy faces of the men and to accentuate the gleam of their copper pots. Ribot's ability to combine these exacting details with narrative has won him both popular and critical acclaim from 1861 until the present day.

We are grateful to Dr. Gabriel Weisberg for confirming the authenticity of this painting.