Jacques Gamelin

Description

Jacques Gamelin was a painter renowned for his battle scenes in the eighteenth century. After training with Jean-Baptiste Deshays, he lived from 1765 to 1774 in Rome, where he met Goya, Fuseli, and Mengs. Whether imagined or inspired by real events, his battle scenes are most often executed in white gouache and brown wash on blue prepared papers. They are characterized by remarkable energy, a sense of movement, and a strong expressiveness. Philippe de Chennevières praised the artist for his “freedom of the brush” and his drawings “full of enthusiasm,” and compared him to Goya for his republican political commitment and his romantic verve.

Signed lower right in pen and black ink: Gamelin f. 1796