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A SET OF PAINTINGS OF THE PORTS DE FRANCE BY JUAN RUIZ PROBABLY COMMISSIONED FOR ANTONIO MARIA DE BUCARELI, VICEROY TO MEXICO
(LOTS 97-99)
This impressive set of paintings of the Ports de France was painted in 1771 by the Mexican painter Juan Patricio Morlete Ruiz (1713-1772) after engravings of the originals which had been painted by Joseph Vernet (1714-1780) between 1753-1765. The painting entitled Toulon, vue de la ville et de la rade is inscribed Ruiz and dated '71'.
Vernet's Ports de France series, which was originally planned to be twenty paintings although just fifteen were completed, enjoyed immediate success throughout Europe and was widely disseminated though engravings.
It was commissioned by Abel-Frangois Poisson (1727-1781), marquis de Marigny and brother of Madame de Pompadour, who was Directeur des batiments, jardins, arts, académies et manufactures royales, for whom it constituted a patriotic celebration of both the French arts and French maritime life.
Vernet stayed in the port of Toulon from September 1754 to June 1756, during which time he painted the first two paintings offered here. He painted three views, of which Toulon vu du Port Neuf is not included here. For Toulon, vue de la ville et de la rade, the harbour is only visible in the distance, with the foreground dominated by an elegant terrace, whose owner had actually invited Vernet to dinner-the guests are in fact seen arriving. Vue du Vieux Port is a wonderfully bustling scene of port life at sunrise.
The view of Antibes, where he stayed in April-May 1756, shows a tranquil Provengal scene with the Alpes Maritimes in the distance, while the view of the port of Sète or Cette, painted in 1757, features one of Vernet's trademark stormy seascapes, and was one of the most acclaimed of the series.
For the two views of the port of Bayonne on the Atlantic coast, painted in 1761, Vernet chose to bathe them both in a luminous evening light, with charming scenes of the locals at work and play.
The original paintings by Vernet are now divided between the Musée du Louvre and the Musée de la Marine, Paris.
THE PROVENANCE
These paintings by Ruiz, which all bear the royal arms of Spain, were almost certainly painted for Antonio Maria de Bucareli y Ursula (1717-1779), who in 1771, the year when the paintings were executed, became Viceroy of Mexico ('New Spain'). This theory is supported by the presence of the royal Spanish arms on each painting (Bucareli being the king's representative in Mexico), and the fact that they were painted by a Mexican artist. Bucareli was born in Seville and had enjoyed a successful military and diplomatic career. Before taking up his post in Mexico he was also Governor of Cuba.
JUAN PATRICIO MORLETE RUIZ
Juan Patricio Morlete Ruiz was born in 1713 in San Miguel el Grande (today known as San Miguel de Allende) in Mexico. His paintings are displayed in several museums, including the Museo Nacional del Virreinato and the Museo Nacional de Arte (Munal) both in Mexico. His work is related to the works of Jose de Ibarra and Miguel Cabrera, with whom he collaborated on the inspection of the original canvas of the Virgin of Guadalupe in 1751.
Guillermo Tovar de Teresa in his Repertorio de Artistas en Mexico (1996, II, p. 88) records the existence of a series of twenty two paintings by Ruiz in the Palace of San Anton in La Valetta (Malta) including two cityscapes of Mexico View of the Plaza Mayor of Mexico City and View of the Plaza del Volador, and nineteen views of French Ports after Vernet. It is possible that the following six paintings came from this collection.
TOULON, VUE DE LA VILLE ET DE LA RADE
TOULON, VUE DU VIEUX PORT
JUAN PATRICIO MORLETE RUIZ (1713-1772), AFTER JOSEPH VERNET (1714-1789)
Details
TOULON, VUE DE LA VILLE ET DE LA RADE
TOULON, VUE DU VIEUX PORT
JUAN PATRICIO MORLETE RUIZ (1713-1772), AFTER JOSEPH VERNET (1714-1789)
oil on canvas, a pair
The first inscribed : La villa y rada de Tolon vifta defde el metro de la Montana que efta detras de ella, facada de la Pintura original que pertenece al Rey, hace parte de la Coleccion de los Puertos de Francia ; difpuefta por el S.r Marques de Marigny Confegero del Rey, Comendador de fus ordenes, Director, y Ordenador general de fus Edificios, Artes, Academias, Jardines, y Manufacturas Reales, pintado por J. Vernet de la Academia Real de Pintura, y Efcultura ;
The second inscribed : El Puerto Viejo de Tolon, vifto del lado de los Almacens de Viveres, facado del original que pertenece al Rey, y hace parte de la coleccion de los Puertos de Francia; difpuefto por el S.r Marques de Marigny, Confege/ro del Rey Comendador de fus Ordenes, Director, y Ordenador gen.l de fus Edificios, Artes, Academias, y Manufacturas Real.s, pintadas por J. Vernet de la Academia R.l de Pintura, y Efcultra y copiadas en Mex.0 por Juan Patricio Morlete Ruiz el aqo d 71.
39½ x 60¾ in. (101 x 154 cm.) (2)
TOULON, VUE DU VIEUX PORT
JUAN PATRICIO MORLETE RUIZ (1713-1772), AFTER JOSEPH VERNET (1714-1789)
oil on canvas, a pair
The first inscribed : La villa y rada de Tolon vifta defde el metro de la Montana que efta detras de ella, facada de la Pintura original que pertenece al Rey, hace parte de la Coleccion de los Puertos de Francia ; difpuefta por el S.r Marques de Marigny Confegero del Rey, Comendador de fus ordenes, Director, y Ordenador general de fus Edificios, Artes, Academias, Jardines, y Manufacturas Reales, pintado por J. Vernet de la Academia Real de Pintura, y Efcultura ;
The second inscribed : El Puerto Viejo de Tolon, vifto del lado de los Almacens de Viveres, facado del original que pertenece al Rey, y hace parte de la coleccion de los Puertos de Francia; difpuefto por el S.r Marques de Marigny, Confege/ro del Rey Comendador de fus Ordenes, Director, y Ordenador gen.l de fus Edificios, Artes, Academias, y Manufacturas Real.s, pintadas por J. Vernet de la Academia R.l de Pintura, y Efcultra y copiadas en Mex.0 por Juan Patricio Morlete Ruiz el aqo d 71.
39½ x 60¾ in. (101 x 154 cm.) (2)