Lot 2129 Dα

Henri Nicolas van Gorp was a highly successful artist in Paris in the time of Napoleon who does not receive the recognition he deserves today. This could be one explanation as to why the signature on this work, which was mentioned in an auction catalogue from 1986, is no longer visible today: It may have been removed deliberately in order to attribute this charming portrait to a more highly appreciated artist such as Francois Pascal Simon Gérard, or even Boilly, by whom van Gorp was employed.
In this piece van Gorp depicts three girls, possibly sisters. They are all dressed in Empire style gowns surrounding a shrine-like bust of Minerva. Each of the three girls brings a different attribute to honour the Roman goddess of wisdom, patron of poets, and protectress of knowledge. The eldest child lovingly presses a dove to her breast whilst the youngest kneels before the goddess with a basket of flowers and the third, middle child, standing on the right holds laurel sprigs in both her hands. All three figures look out towards the observer or the painter, emphasising the deliberately posed nature of the work.