Artist: Robert Hubert (1733-1808)
Title: Laprière Interrupted
Date: 18th Century
Medium: Aquatinted engraving
Dimensions: 38 x 33 cm
Condition Report: In good condition

Description:
This elegantly composed engraving by Hubert Robert captures a moment of quiet devotion playfully disrupted. A nun, deeply absorbed in prayer, is momentarily distracted by a young boy presenting a pot of flowers. The grand architectural setting, with its towering archways, lends a sense of solemnity to the scene, while the lush treetops, soft blue sky, and billowing clouds glimpsed through an opening to the outside world add an air of natural beauty. The interplay between the figures introduces a charming sense of whimsy, a hallmark of Robert’s work, blending serenity with a touch of narrative intrigue.

About the Artist:
Born in Paris in 1733, Hubert Robert was a celebrated painter and draftsman known for his masterful depictions of architectural ruins and capricci. His artistic journey was profoundly shaped by his decade-long stay in Rome, where he studied under Giovanni Paolo Panini and was influenced by the works of Giovanni Battista Piranesi. Robert became renowned for his imaginative landscapes and architectural fantasies, often blending classical ruins with figures engaged in daily life. His patrons included European aristocracy and royalty, and he later served as a curator at the Louvre. Despite imprisonment during the French Revolution, he continued his prolific career until his passing in 1808. His legacy endures in his extensive body of work, which captures both the grandeur and the poetic decay of historical architecture.