The painting is a variation on one of a set of pictures illustrating Jean de la Fontaine’s Fables that was commissioned by the duc de Saint-Aignan, the French ambassador in Rome from 1723-41. Subleyras spent much of his career painting in Italy settling permanently in Rome in 1728 after winning the Prix de Rome the previous year.
The story is not one for 21st century mores. A local hermit, who has become enamoured of a widow’s pretty daughter, disguises himself as a priest, and convinces the girl that God wishes their union to produce a new pope. However, after the baby is revealed to be a girl the hermit’s deception is discovered. Several versions are known including one dated to c.1745 that is in the collection of the Boston Museum of Fine Art. The work was also made into a print that is a mirror image of this composition.
The auction house was reluctant to declare this 12 x 9in (30 x 22cm) canvas an autograph work and was cautious both in the cataloguing and in the estimate of €800-1200. However, bidders were more confident in the quality of the picture and its connections to Subleyras. It hammered for €65,000 (£55,300).
