A wonderful painting of two gentlemen playing a game of cards by Marcel Brunery. The gentlemen, dressed in 18th century costumes are depicted in an opulent interior of the same period. The panelled room and antiques appear similar to those used in some of his other works and were chosen by Brunery to lend authenticity to his work. The location was most likely a large Chateau that was situated within easy travelling distance to him at the time.

Marcel Vincent Louis Brunery was a genre painter born on 10 September, 1893 to the Italian born artist François or Francesco Brunery and his wife Maria (née Fillion). He was taught art by his father who it is widely held to be the inventor of the genre of ‘Cardinal Painting’. His father had a great influence on his work and like him he went on to produce many works featuring Cardinals as well as historical scenes.

He married Yvonne Estradere on 19 July, 1930 at Bagneres de Luchon and they had a son, Francis in 1935. In the same year, he made his debut at the Société des Artistes Indépendants with a work entitled 'La Lecon'. By 1846 he was living with his family at 18, rue Pierre-Demours. He remained living and working in Paris until his death on 16 August, 1982 at Suresnes, Hauts-De-Seine.

Brunery excelled at depicting the clergy and nobility in a humorous way, involving them in domestic dramas that showed them to be no different from the ‘common man’. He was able to take the genre to a new level, painting his scenes with a remarkable level of exactness and precision. His lavish and colourful works have made him highly popular with private collectors over the years. An example of his work can be found at the Warrington Museum & Art Gallery.