Victor Marais-Milton (French, 1872-1968) , "Le Jeu de Domino", oil on canvas, signed lower right, 19 3/4 in. x 24 in., original frame . Provenance: Acquired in Antwerp, Belgium, c. 1910s; Collection of Margaret Burton Deakin, Antwerp, Belgium; thence by descent Note: Much like fellow countryman Jehan-Georges Vibert (1840-1902), French artist Victor Marais-Milton painted genre scenes of the upper echelons of the Roman Catholic Church enjoying wealth and leisure, and his work became very popular during the late nineteenth-century. These paintings were a gentle commentary on the clergy and leadership of the church – pointed, rather than overtly political. In this painting, Marias-Milton depicts in sumptuous detail a bishop and cardinal enjoying a game of dominos. The patterned flooring, elaborate lace of the tablecloth and extravagance of the room speaks to the affluence of the church and the supreme skill of the artist. Ref.: Rehs Galleries, Inc. “Biography – Victor Marais-Milton (1872-1944)”, https://rehs.com/Victor_Marais-Milton_Bio.html. Accessed July 31, 2019.