Nicolas Charles Chailly-Honoré (“M Chailly”) [1805-1866]
France
Gifts to Juno, ca.1856.
Oil on canvas
37 x 16 inches [unframed] | 41 x 19 inches [framed]
Signed at lower right : ‘N C Chailly’ with frame front plaque marked ‘M Chailly’.  Dated at lower right : ‘1856[?]’.  Location depicted as : ‘ROME’ at lower right.

CONDITION:
Excellent unrestored original condition with ca.1890s period frame.

DESCRIPTION:
Nicolas Charles Chailly-Honoré (“M Chailly”) [1805-1866] was an important early obstetrician and intellectual.  He was born in France in 1805 and studied medicine under P. Dubois at the Imperial Academy of Medicine, Paris, France.  He was one of many in a long line of Nicolas Chailly which may have been why the doctor would use ‘M. Chailly’ in his written works and art.  He was an influential OBGYN, writing an early treatise on midwifery and birth which would be used as a guide on the subject for many years.  Chailly illustrated his own medical text, often with woodcuts.  He traveled widely to Quebec, Canada, Cape Town, South Africa, London, England and many others.  The doctor was extremely well read, familiar with international treatise and works of his time, studying them in multiple languages.  Chailly most likely would have been in direct contact or read works by fellow intellectual and painter Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836-1912).  Chailly ran a birth clinic in Paris, France before dying in 1866.  Gifts to Juno, ca.1856 depicts beautiful young Roman women lining up to make gifts and scarifies to the Goddess Juno, pouring them onto the small metal pyre or samovar.  Juno was believed to be able to grant the ability of women to bare children.  The flower pedals on the floor reinforce the rite of Spring and rebirth theme.  This ties perfectly into a theme the good doctor would enjoy.

PROVENANCE:
ca.1988 ( David Smernoff, New Haven, CT and New York, NY ) ;
before 1988 Private collection of [withheld], Brooklyn, NY ;
after ca.1856 Private collection of James Beebe Brinsmade (1824-1856) and Jennie Newman Brinsmade (1833-1905), Brooklyn, NY [a former lawyer] ;
ca.1856 Nicolas Charles Chailly-Honoré (“M Chailly”) [1805-1866], the artist .

EXHIBITION:
[unknown] ;