Still Life With Fruits, Spaniels And Macaw By Reynaud Levieux (nîmes 1613 - Rome 1699)

Our painting is one of the still life paintings made by Raynaud, a Provencal painter whose career was considerable and marked by an original style of intense colors in keeping with the classicism influenced by his stays in Rome. A great religious painter, he was also a precursor of a type of still life with luxurious profusions of flowers, fruits and animals. In our painting, the toy spaniels and the parrot are a sign of loyalty and wealth. We can assume that this canvas was painted on the occasion of a wedding. The pet bird and the dogs fit elegantly into the rich tapestry. In this, Raynaud LEVIEUX is a Provencal precursor of ceremonial painting, there is no doubt that his stay in Rome influenced his painting. A fairly similar painting (but with a squirrel on the right in addition) was found in the painter's studio after his death.