Interior of an artist's studio

Surprisingly few paintings of the interior of artistsâ studios survive from before the 19th century. Not many artists seem to have been interested in painting their own surroundings. Jeaurat was very skilful in his handling of an astonishing variety of elements. We see most prominently the step-ladder required for the painting of large pictures, in this instance a vast Assumption of the Virgin which would have been intended as an altarpiece. In the foreground are three collectors looking through a portfolio. No genre paintings are visible even though Jeaurat is still appreciated for this subject. It may be that this studio belongs to a fellow artist rather than Jeaurat himself.