"Sharpshooter with an ace of diamonds": How an artist of the 17th century put down his passion for wine, women and games

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

This 17th century work was exhibited in a 1934 exhibition at the Paris Orangerie Museum under the title Artists of Reality in 17th Century France, and it is thanks to this commemorative exhibition that 17th century French art was brought back to a prominent place and the Works of Georges de la Tour, about which almost forgotten by French art lovers, became popular again, and after the exhibition his works were in great demand. One of the greatest masterpieces of 17th century French art, The Sharpshooter with the Ace of Diamonds explores the theme of indulging wine, women and gambling. What is the symbolism of playing cards in de Latour's painting?

The theme of card games was a favorite of "genre" painting - scenes from everyday life that were popular in the art of the late 16th and 17th centuries. Examples include Caravaggio's Sharpshooter (c1594), Card Sharpshooters by Valentin de Boulogne (c1615-18) and an early version of this composition by De Latour, Ace of Diamonds Sharpshooter (c1632). ace of diamonds”create a magnificent picture. His characters act out a psychological drama that unfolds through the signals of glances and gestures. Four pieces are gathered around the table and play cards. The artist imagined the moment when the game had just begun: the heroes had their bets in front of them in the form of gold coins.

Female

The woman at the table is the central figure in the painting. She has a small pile of money on the table (not so big yet, but, as the plot suggests, the balance will change soon). Her clothes are luxurious. The deep cut of her suit, no doubt, amazes the male guests and distracts from the game (this was the counting). Her hair is topped with a quirky and trendy headdress with feathers. In numerous comments, art critics pay special attention to the exciting beauty of a woman, the roundness of her forms, bodice, thin arms, not familiar with laborious work. Most of all, the viewer's attention is drawn to the perfect oval of the heroine. Art critic Roberto Longhi describes her face as "an ostrich egg". Thin lips, straight nose and clear oval of the face emphasize the sly look and coldness. And her gaze runs and says a lot: her gaze and gestures are an expression of lies. Her right hand points to the man on the left. She seems to be signaling the orange-turbaned maid to find out what he's up to. The maid brings wine to the table, and she, too, falsely casts a side glance at the accomplice. Other guests will follow for a glass of wine in her hand, because it is not for nothing that she brought a whole bottle. The viewer watches as the man himself pulls out an ace of diamonds from behind his back, which is designed to complete his winning combination. The maid knows what's going on. She is part of a conspiracy.

The man in the shadow

The man sly glances at the audience, showing not only his cards that he has at hand, but also those that he hides behind his back. A number of historians argue that this hero, with his dashing appearance, could have been a self-portrait of de Latour himself. Of all the players at the table, only the cheat's face is covered with a shadow, and only his face does not fit into simple geometry, in comparison with other heroes. A wrinkled forehead, a tense look, pursed lips, a turned head - all prove his deceitful features. The man wears even less expensive clothes than the maid - he has no hat and wears a leather jacket decorated with blue satin. He looks directly at the audience. And this direct look at the audience draws into a deceitful game, making the latter conspirators.

Young man

Meanwhile, a completely oblivious rich boy, recognizable by his exquisite dress, embroidered camisole, hat with a magnificent feather, looks innocently at his hands. This is the offspring of a wealthy family. Ironically, everyone knows what's going on at the table while the boy remains blind to his inevitable loss. There is something about the young man's appearance that makes the audience believe in his naivety. He is young: his rounded cheeks, unfamiliar with a razor, are those of a teenager. His conspirators exchange sidelong glances. The lack of eye contact reminds viewers that cheaters will always put their own accomplishments first. The boy is slightly separated from the other three characters. Is he there of his own free will or was he invited by the woman who is next to him? In part, this is a picture of morality. This is an image of a man who must resist the three highest vices: resist the temptations of lust of a woman, the temptation of alcohol, which is distributed to card players, and, of course, he must resist the vice of gambling French moral standards of the time.

Symbols of cards

Playing cards, according to moralists, was a sign of an idle nature - and therefore cards became an attribute of a personified Vice, as in the allegory "Hercules at the Crossroads." In one form or another, the cards symbolize idleness, in which debauchery flourishes. In the painting, the feathers signified a dissolute life, the six of spades - the struggle with fate and misfortune, and the ace of diamonds - good luck. The additional meaning of playing cards is a sign of an erroneous life goal, the search for pleasure and a sinful life. Equality of opportunity in gambling also meant reprehensible anonymity. The cards also symbolized the life-play metaphor and were a marker of social vices.

In his religious paintings, de Latour isolates people in darkness with one candle - the light of revelation. Whether this work is satirical or moral and edifying, for the audience this picture is, first of all, a wonderful work, filled with mysterious charm. All are lonely: a stupid youth, a rich woman, a servant and a sharpie. Appreciated during his lifetime, Latour was forgotten soon after his death and rediscovered only in the 20th century, which allowed the historian Jacques Tuillier to say about him: "Georges de Latour is almost our contemporary."