Attracting New Patrons in the Eighteenth Century

Abstract

During the Régence, the nobility left Versailles and flocked back to Paris, constructing new grand townhouses that required interior decoration. For these commissions, Audran combined venerable motifs with those from popular culture suited to each patron. For Louis de Béchameil, marquis de Nointel (1630–1703), Audran and his then assistant Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684–1721) painted a ceiling and panels with singerie and made reference to Momus, god of satire, and the Régiment de la Calotte, a French secret society. For other patrons, such as the comtesse de Verrue, Jeanne-Baptiste d’Albert de Luynes (1670–1736) and Abraham Peyrenc de Moras (1686–1732), Audran customized designs to suit their taste and collecting habits. Contemporary sources add to the description and reception of these commissions.