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LA HYRE, Laurent de

French (1606-1658)

"FAITH"
An Allegorical representation

Oil: 32-1/2" x 39-1/4".

Laurent de la Hyre, pupil of Etienne and Georges Lallement was first known for his religious paintings, which he did in great number for the churches of Paris between 1630 and 1640, among them four paintings for the church of "des Capucins-du-Marais (les Minimes)", an "Assomption" for the Capucine de la rue Saint-Honoré, three paintings for "les Carmélites de la rue d'Enfer". He received on two occasions commission to paint the "tableau de Mai", for Notre-Dame de Paris: in 1625, "St. Peter Curing the sick with his shadow" (now in the Louvre), and in 1637 "The Conversion of St. Paul" (now in St. Thomas d'Aquin). In addition he painted for the Capucins of Rouen a "Descent from the Cross" (regarded as one of his masterpieces), three paintings for the "Chartreuse", near Grenoble, and "Christ on the Cross" for the Capucins at Fécamp.

In 1648 he was one of the twelve founders of the Royal Academy for Paintings and sculpture organized by Colbert, and was named "peintre ordinaire du roi". Protected by Cardinal Richelieu, he made three paintings for the "salle des gardes" at the Palais-Royal: "Perseus armed by the Gods to deliver Andromeda", "Astynax taken from the tomb in the presence of Ulysses," and "Thésée and her mother". In 1650 he painted for the salon of M. Tallement des Reaux, a writer contemporary to La Hyre and his biographer, a series of seven paintings representing, in allegorical form, the Liberal Arts. (Of this series, his "Allegorie de la Litterature" figured in an exposition of French Art in 1937). 
[[crossed-out]]"Fai[[/crossed-out]]
"Faith seems to be one of another series of allegories, possibly on analagous virtues, done about the same time. The two are so alike stylistically that this idea may be readily accepted. He also made a painting for the Hotel de Ville in Paris during this period.

La Hyre seems to have been finally interested in painting landscapes of smaller dimensions and containing smaller scale figures, somewhat in the style of Claude Lorrain (see "Berger avec Troupeau dans un Paysage"). This would seem to have been after 1650.

According to information received from Mr. Germain Bazin the different attributes represented in this allegorical painting are:

The Key - "Temperance"
The Lance - "Force" (or power)
resting on "Faith" which is symbolized by the base which thus clearly explains the inscription "Basis Firma Fides".

Exhibited: "French Painting, 1100-1900", Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, Oct.-Dec.-1951, No. 63, reproduced.