Mar 6, 2025
Portrait of the Actor Grandval
Artist: Nicolas Lancret (French, 1689–1743)
Date: circa 1752
Medium: Oil on canvas
Collection: Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Description
Lancret's interest in the stage, evident in his insightful portraits of actors and dancers, may derive from his early training in the studio of Claude Gillot, director of scene designs and costumes for the Paris Opera. In this portrait of the actor Grandval, one of the best known performers of 18th-century Paris, Lancret alludes to his renowned ability to perform both tragic and comic roles. Grandval stands in an imaginary garden in front of a statuary group that represents Thalia, the Muse of Comedy, and Melpomene, the Muse of Tragedy.
