A Volunteer of 1792
Thomas Couture·1848
Historical Context
Thomas Couture was one of the most influential French painters of the mid-nineteenth century, whose massive Romans of the Decadence (1847) caused a sensation at the Salon. This 1848 Volunteer of 1792 depicts a young patriot from the Revolutionary Wars, reflecting the resurgent republican sentiment that erupted in the Revolution of 1848. Couture's masterful technique influenced a generation including Manet, who studied in his studio.
Technical Analysis
The oil on fabric demonstrates Couture's distinctive technique combining bold, sketch-like passages with carefully finished areas. The warm palette and vigorous handling create an energetic character study that balances spontaneity with technical control.
Provenance
Ferdinand Barbedienne, Paris. His sale, Paris, Durand-Ruel, 2-3 June 1892 (lot 25), Tête de volontaire, 1793 [sic]. Bought by Daniel Cottier, Paris. His sale, 1892, Tête de soldat, ff 550 (according to Hippolyte Mireur, Dictionnaire des ventes d'art faites en France . . . [Paris, 1911-12]) (bought in?), with Cottier in 1904. Bought from P. A. B. Widener in May 1908 by Knoedler & Co, New York. Sold on 30 November 1908 to M. de Lagotellerie, 20 Rue de l'Université, Paris (according to Knoedler stock book no. 5: 11591). James S. Inglis, New York. His collection sale, American Art Association, New York, 11-12 March 1909 (lot 91), A member of the guard. Fischer Gallery, Washington, D.C. (1910), sold to James Parmelee, Washington, D.C. Given to the CMA in 1940.
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