PARIS GALLERIST ERIC COATELEM HAS ORGANISED A SHOW OF PAINTINGS BY ANNE VALLAYER COSTER

IN 18TH CENTURY FRANCE WOMEN ARTISTS COULDN’T STUDY AT THE ACADEMY BECAUSE THEY WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT NUDE MODELS

MARINE CORALS AND SHELLS, DATED 1769, OIL ON CANVAS 130X97 CM

SO WOMEN AVOIDED HISTORY AND RELIGEOUS PAINTINGS THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO MALE ARTISTS. INSTEAD THEY COULD CONCENTRATE ON REAL SUBJECTS LIKE STILL LIFES

BOUQUET IN AN ORMOLU MOUNTED VASE ON A STONE LEDGE, DATED 1776, OIL ON CANVAS 122X113 CM

BOUQUET IN A TERRACOTTA URN ON A TABLE WITH FRUIT, DATED 1776, OIL ON CANVAS 122X114 CM

FLOWERS WERE NOT A COMMON COMMODITY IN 18TH CENTURY PARIS. THE FIRST PARIS FLOWER MARKET ONLY OPENED IN 1808

SMALL POSIES WERE SOLD ON THE STREET BY WOMEN WHO BROUGHT THE FLOWERS STRAIGHT FROM THEIR GARDENS. FLOWERS WERE INTIMATE AND PRECIOUS

FLOWERS IN A BLUE PORCELAIN VASE, DATED 1782, OIL ON CANVAS 40X32 CM

ANNE PAINTED REAL, ACCURATE FLOWERS. OVER TIME, HER SUBJECTS BECAME SIMPLER, HER STYLE FRESHER AND MORE INTIMATE

FLOWERS IN A GLASS, DATED 1806, OIL ON CANVAS 31X27 CM

ANNE’S PATRONS INCLUDED MARIE ANTOINETTE WHOSE INTEREST IN ‘SIMPLE COUNTRY LIFE’ BROUGHT-IN A NEW ERA OF PERFUME.

OUT WENT HEAVY ANIMALISTIC, LEATHER AND INCENSE NOTES. IN CAME LIGHTER NOTES: ROSE, LILAC, LILLY, GREEN GRASS AND WOOD

ANNE’S IMAGES WERE BOUQUETS OF THE NEW FRAGRANCES

DESPITE HER ROYAL PATRONAGE ANNE SURVIVED THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE TERROR. SHE CONTINUED WORKING INTO THE NAPOLEONIC PERIOD, SELLING PAINTINGS TO THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE

INTIMATE BLOOMS