The Triumph of Harlequin and Columbine: a design for a fan

Pierre Subleyras, a French eighteenth-century painter who spent much of his career in Italy, was known primarily for his portraits and religious compositions. The present work is neither, though it draws on elements from his various ecclesiastical commissions, particularly the decorative works which often feature figures arranged in a frieze-like pattern inspired by Poussin. Judging by the shape, Subleyras intended this lively sketch as a pattern for a fan, with added spandrels transforming it into an architectural fantasy. The narrative of Harlequin and Columbine was a popular theatrical piece, and here the lovers are represented in a triumphant chariot before an elaborate architectural backdrop.