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Lot Essay
THE ORIGINAL OF CIRCA 1630/2, ON CANVAS, 198 X 283 CM, IS IN THE PRADO, MADRID, INV. NO1690 (S. ALCOLEA BLANCH, THE PRADO, 1991, P.364, FIG.213), WHERE IT ENTERED AS PART OF THE SPANISH ROYAL COLLECTIONS. SAID TO HAVE BEEN PAINTED BY THE ARTIST ON THE OCCASION OF HIS MARRIAGE TO HéLèNE FOURMENT, IT WAS PROBABLY SOLD AFTER HIS DEATH BY HIS WIDOW TO KING PHILIP IV. AS POINTED OUT BY E. GOODMAN IN RUBENS, THE GARDEN OF LOVE AS CONVERSATIE A LA MODE, 1992, THE COMPOSITION WAS A KEY WORK IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FRENCH PAINTING IN THE 18TH CENTURY AS EXEMPLIFIED BY ARTISTS AS PATER, WATTEAU AND FRAGONARD IN THEIR FêTES CHAMPêTRES.