HSC Painting Woman Painter Follower Vleughels Le Bât de La Fontaine 18th century

Oil on copper painted by a disciple/follower of Nicolas Vleughels*, depicting a naughty scene of an undressed woman with a painter in his studio, a representation of Jean de la Fontaine's Fable "Le Bât" where the painter repaints a donkey on his lover's belly to avoid being caught by the husband, in an 18th century gilded wood frame.
The painting and frame are in good condition. Plaque with the name Nicolas VLEUGHELS on the frame (name very faded). Old sales label from the Chevau-Légers auction house in Versailles. Handwritten inscription on the back "On lit sur le pot une date" (illegible).
The painting represents an episode from Le Bât by Jean de la Fontaine. In the tale, a suspicious husband paints a donkey on his wife's belly. His lover pays him a visit and passionately erases the painting. But beforehand, the lover had made a copy of the donkey on canvas (behind the wife) and repainted it in the same place. However, he also adds a pack-saddle, discovered by the husband as proof of his infidelity.
Please note: wear and tear on the paint and frame, please look at the photos.
* Nicolas Vleugels (1668-1737)
often spelled Vleughels, was a French painter. Son of Philippe Vleughels, a Flemish portrait artist, Nicolas' brother Jacques-Philippe was also a painter. He was a pupil of Pierre Mignard. In 1694, Nicolas won second prize at the Prix de l'Académie. From 1703 to 1713, he lived in Italy, spending three years in Rome and two years in Venice from March 1707. He was elected a member of the Académie de peinture on December 31, 1716. He lived with Antoine Watteau from 1716 to 1718, in the Saint-Victor district. He returned to Rome in 1725, where he was appointed director of the Académie de France. Nicolas Vleughels was appointed Chevalier de Saint Michel by the King. Étienne Jeaurat and Pierre Subleyras were among his pupils. Vleughels treated subjects related to sacred history, mythology and secular history. His Baroque-style historical and mythological paintings are often influenced by the works of Veronese, and are generally small-scale. His works are now part of the collections of the Louvre and the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen.
Dimensions
Frame 34 cm x 39 cm Rebate 19.5 cm x 25 cm Window 17.5 cm x 23 cm
Catalogue number : 900 712
All photos on :
www.antiques-delaval.com

Ref: OKNJDMFMOI