Pieter Van Laer, The Children, engraving, eighteenth century

Beautiful engraving by louis gareau after a painting by pieter van laer entitled "the children". This painting was in the gallery of his serene highness monsignor le duc d'orléans. The scene depicts children playing in ruins. The ruins are widely present and structure the painting, they recall the archaeological discoveries made at that time. Pieter van laer is a dutch painter, draughtsman and engraver of the 17th century. His style is imitated by several artists called "bamboccianti". He left for france, in order to make his study trip. He then moved to italy, more precisely to rome, where he eventually settled. He is part of a brotherhood of dutch painters established in italy. We find italian influences in his sets. He painted many scenes of popular life of a dutch character (party scenes, game scenes, hunting scenes with peasants, shepherds, merchants...). He is also characterized by his unofficial vision of rome. Louis gareau is a french draughtsman, painter and engraver of the late eighteenth century.