L4552001 La singerie

This flat-frame print on cotton is an original creation on the theme of "monkey business". Developed toward the end of the reign of Louis XIV, this genre reached its height under Christophe Huet. A number of these representations can be found in France, at Champs-sur-Marne, Thoiry, Chantilly and in many private homes. This subject, which was revered in the 18th century, focuses on the play of amusing and mischievous monkeys. Their antics gracefully accompany the curved lines of the rococo style. However, in spite of the festive spirit of these antics, we can also see in them an allusion to the vanity of human existence.