Painting on porcelain in its gilded carved wooden frame, representing a child with a milk jug looking at a frog, most certainly the work of François-Louis Lanfant de Metz*, from the 19th century.

This painting is in good condition as is its frame. Unsigned.

Please note: some wear and tear, see photos.

*François-Louis Lanfant of Metz:

A history and genre painter, he was born in 1814 in Sierck-les-Bains (57). He died in Le Havre in 1892. FL Lanfant said he was from Metz, a town better known than Sierk-les-Bains, and he often added this indication of origin to his name. He had a rather eventful life. Arriving in Paris at the age of 15, he first designed original compositions for wallpaper merchants. Then he was admitted to the studio of Ary Scheiffer, a history, genre and portrait painter. In 1842 he was hired as a draftsman by the Swiss naturalist Agassiz and accompanied him to Switzerland and Italy. Soon put off by a too regular existence, he left Naples on foot and joined a troupe of traveling actors, thus realizing a childhood dream. He left this troupe quite quickly since in 1843, he was found as a painter in Paris. From 1843 to 1866, he exhibited regularly at the Paris Salon, among others: Romulus attacks and defeats the Sabines, A flower girl under the Regency And The Village Bride who won a Gold Medal in 1847.  

In 1853 he exhibited at the Salon The Visit to the Second-Hand Dealer, considered one of his best works. The painter ended up acquiring a certain notoriety. He had a workshop in Paris, Boulevard des Italiens and trained a certain number of students. 1868 was a turning point in his life as an artist: during a trip to Trouville with Courbet, he met old actor friends and the musician Louis Tessier who became his friend. He decided not to return to Paris. He settled in Le Havre and completely changed his way of painting. Abandoning history painting, he would only paint small-format tablotins, depicting carefree and mischievous childhood: children's games, noisy school outings, pitched battles, pranks, forbidden games (good wine, Land finder), parodies of the attitudes, gestures and passions of adults. Lithography popularized some of his works; Eugène Jouy and Goupil published them in color, Barry, Fuhr and Lemoine transposed them to lithographic pencil. In these innumerable childish scenes, Lanfant's imagination was overflowing; he knew how to avoid any repetition and always add a tender note which makes his little actors so charming.

: plate 14.5 cm by 9.5 cm
Frame : 26.5 cm by 22 cm

Reference : 900 568