Water Games In A Park, Antoine Baron Around 1850

Water games in a park, large oil on mahogany panel by the painter Antoine Baron.
In the park of a castle, young people dressed in 18th century fashion are having fun and bantering happily. Very good state. Signed lower right. In its original frame (small accidents).
Note that a similar work by the artist was sold at Sotheby's for around €12,000 excluding fees in 2022 (photo).
Dimensions with the frame 86x74 cm

Henri Charles Antoine Baron, born June 23, 1816 in Besançon and died in Geneva on September 11, 1885, is a French painter, designer and illustrator. Henri Baron is the brother of Jules-Aimable Baron (Besançon 1814-Avanne 1899), designer and lithographer, who frequented Tony Johannot and Paul Gavarni. Henri is a student of Jean Gigoux who will strongly inspire his work. He debuted at the 1840 Salon in Paris, and won several medals. In 1843, he founded with Célestin Nanteuil, Eugène Prosper Leroux, Adolphe Mouilleron (1820-1881), and Louis Français, the periodical Les Artistes contemporains which lasted until 1847. In 1846, the Duke of Aumale ordered the panel from him decorative Chantilly in the 16th century, La Pêche for his room in the Château de Chantilly. In 1850, his painting Les Noces de Gamache was purchased by the State. He regularly travels to Italy, which inspires numerous works.
In 1852, he married Octavie Bovy, daughter of the Swiss sculptor-engraver Antoine Bovy (1795-1877). Through this family link, Baron participated in the restoration of the decoration of the Château de Gruyères (canton of Fribourg). His works are also often exhibited at the Salon de Lyon. From 1862, Henri Baron participated in the “Society of Friends of the Arts” of Besançon.
Empress Eugénie commissioned from him the canvas of the Official Festival at the Palais des Tuileries during the Universal Exhibition of 1867, a work exhibited at the Salon of 1868. He presented L'Hiver at the Universal Exhibition of 1878.
He collaborated regularly with Louis Français (1814-1897) with whom he co-signed certain paintings and co-founded the magazine Les artistes contemporains. Like Gigoux, Français or Célestin Nanteuil, he produced numerous compositions, in particular for the workshop of the lithographer and printer Bertauts. Baron died on September 11, 1885 in Geneva, where he had lived partly since his marriage.

Public collections
Besançon, museum of fine arts and archeology Les Noces de Gamache

Dijon, Magnin museum: Ara and fruits Portrait of a young woman in a park
L'Escarpolette, watercolor

Chantilly, Condé museum: Chantilly in the 16th century, La Pêche Femme at the edge of a river breathing flowers with a winged love beside her

Paris, Louvre museum: Standing woman
Woman resting Cabaret scene
Two young women near a spring, watercolor

Palais des beaux-arts de Lille: Party spring in Tuscany Summer evening in Italy
The Skaters

National Museum of the Château de Compiègne: Official party at the Tuileries Palace during the Universal Exhibition of 1867, 1867, watercolor

Museum of Fine Arts of Marseille: The Mother of the Abbeville family,

Boucher de Perthes museum: Le Goûter de Monsieur; Young nobleman and his servant

Museum of Fine Arts of Tourcoing: Head of a woman, watercolor Nevers, municipal museum Frédéric Blandin: The Itinerant Musician, print