Delicious genre scene. At the center a provost visiting a farmer’s family, and he makes his shoes cleaned by a young man who, inexpert, must have made a mess. This is visible from the fact that an adult tries to hurt him with a tabouret in front of some housewives who are preparing some vegetables. On the left, a young man taking 2 pails on shoulder is represented. On the right a farmer shows to a young girl two big jars. It’s very interesting the clothes of the girl that makes us date this fan to the last years of Louis XV reign.
The ivory sticks are fretted and painted with the technique Veris Martin, the rocaille theme seems to embrace every little painted particular ( the fruit basket, the little rabbit, the little birds, the turquoise scallop), the rivet is covered by a white strass.
"Details make perfection, and perfection is not a detail."
Leonardo Da Vinci
