School of the 18th century. Follower of CHARLES VAN LOO (Nice, 1705-Paris, 1765). "Allegory of Music". Oil on canvas. The work will be available approximately 15 days after payment has been made. Size: 104 x 90 cm; 110 x 96 cm (frame). The present painting is a study of the original painting by Charles Van Loo, which was a great success and, under the direction of Madame de Pompadour, was reproduced on snuff boxes, fans and engravings. Charles André Van Loo was a specialist in the allegorical genre, which was very popular in the 18th century. The originality of this allegory of music lies in the choice and treatment of the characters depicted as children. The painting is part of a set of three other compositions: Allegory of Painting, Allegory of Sculpture and Allegory of Architecture, painted for Bellevue Castle. Van Loo belonged to a family of artists of Dutch origin who settled in France in the 17th century. Van Loo was one of the most acclaimed painters of the reign of Louis XV, appointed First Painter to the King in 1762, enjoying the favours of Madame de Pompadour, for whom he designed a series of four door panels in 1753. Destined for the château of the Marquise de Bellevue, these works illustrate the Fine Arts: painting, sculpture, architecture and music. This type of allegorical representation was not in itself very new, but Van Loo revamped the genre by using children s figures. This novelty was acclaimed by critics and immediately imitated by other painters, including, of course, Boucher. However, Van Loo was not content with innovating by depicting children in these allegories, but introduced in each painting an element directly related to his patron: the bust on which the young sculptor works is that of Louis XV, the model who poses for the little painter is Madame de Pompadour s daughter, Alexandrine. And, in this allegory of music, the harpsichordist is portrayed with the features of Madame de Pompadour herself, albeit rejuvenated by more than twenty years.