Offered by Galerie Thierry Matranga
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In this nocturnal composition, Sebastian Pether deploys the full subtlety of his lunar palette to orchestrate a rural scene imbued with mystery and serenity. At the center, a mill with motionless sails stands out against a dramatic sky, bathed in the spectral light of the full moon. Nearby, two thatched cottages suggest human presence: one glows with a warm interior light, while a thin wisp of smoke rises into the still air.
In the foreground, a moored boat carrying two indistinct figures introduces a discreet narrative note, reinforcing the sense of intimacy and suspended silence. Across the water, the opposite bank reveals a village dominated by church spires, their silhouettes fading into a silvery mist. The composition is framed by dense vegetation, notably a large tree on the left whose branches seem to echo the drifting clouds above.
True to his fondness for chiaroscuro and nocturnal scenes, Pether offers here a romantic vision of the rural world, where nature and architecture unite in a contemplative harmony. This painting perfectly illustrates Pether’s art, heir to a family tradition of moonlit landscape painters, and stands out for its mastery of light, attention to detail, and enveloping atmosphere.
We have chosen to present this painting in a molded frame veneered in blackened pearwood, dating from the 17th century.
Dimensions:
Panel: 21 × 30.5 cm
With frame: 30 × 40 cm
Biography:
Sebastian Pether (1793–1844) was born in Chelsea, on the outskirts of London, into a family of painters specializing in nocturnal landscapes. Trained by his father, Abraham Pether, he inherited a strong taste for chiaroscuro effects and moonlit scenes. Active mainly in London, he exhibited at the Royal Academy and the British Institution, while remaining somewhat outside the dominant academic circles.
His compositions, often featuring mills, ruins, and discreet figures, are distinguished by a restrained palette and a melancholic atmosphere. Despite a steady output, he suffered from persistent financial difficulties. He died in Battersea, also on the outskirts of London, in great poverty. Rediscovered by admirers of Romantic painting, he is now appreciated for the singularity of his style and the poetic quality of his nocturnal landscapes.
