The Ministry of Culture decided to refuse the issuance of the export certificate for this emblematic work of Chardin (1699-1769).
The painting, entitled today Basket of strawberries or Basket of wild strawberries, occupies a special place in the production of Jean Siméon Chardin. A landmark in the history of still lifes in Western painting, this masterful work constitutes by its modernity an unparalleled link between the Dutch heritage transcended by Chardin and the artistic movements precursors of the end of the XIXe century and XXe and represents the ultimate quintessence of the art of this major painter.
Recently reappeared on the art market, the work is well known to Chardin specialists since the second half of the nineteenth century and has been presented in many exhibitions at the XXe century. It is probably the last composition of Chardin of this importance still in private hands in France.
Following the favourable opinion of the Advisory Commission on National Treasures, the Ministry will not grant the export certificate requested for this exceptional work, This gives it the status of national treasury for a period of 30 months, which will begin from the notification of this decision to the owner of the table.
This period will be used to raise the necessary funds to carry out an acquisition for the benefit of the national public collections in order to enable the Basket of strawberries to join the painter’s works already preserved in the Louvre Museum.