Scenes of Parisian life at the National Gallery of London

From the 28th of February to the 19th of May 2019, the exhibition "Boilly, Scenes of Parisian Life", will unveil, to an already conquered London audience, the works of a French artist, overlooked in the Hexagon. This is a nice example of how French history fascinates our neighbors on the other side of the Channel. An official institution, the National Gallery has indeed opened up its doors for a retrospective.

Parisian scenes in London

This very special exhibition of 20 paintings never photographed, never catalogued, nor displayed, Louis-Léopold Boilly, who was present during the French Revolution, for the ascension then the fall of Napoleon I, followed by the restauration of the Monarchy, explores a bubbling Paris. His lifestyle scenes, typical of an era showcasing radical changes, portrays a society in movement.

With "The Public admiring the Coronation" by David at the Louvre, Boilly sets forty an increasing interest in art. © The Trustees

The canvas, "Entrance to the Turkish Garden", was exceptionally loaned by a private collector for the London exhibition. © The Trustees

A technician, minute about detail

Famous for his minute technique and his sense of detail when depicting the characters, landscapes, portraits and trompe-l'œil of his paintings, this miniaturist author, coupled with an oustanding engraving talent, plays on emotion. At only 2h15 on the Eurostar, a small selection of the portraitist's 4,500 works, sure to impress art lovers, is to be discovered like a retrieved treasure.

Here, the artist paints the studio of sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon while he models of a prominent figurehead. © The Trustees