JULIEN-LÉOPOLD BOILLY OU JULES BOILLY | The auction

huile sur toile,signé en bas à gauche

Sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 2 December 1986, illustrated in the catalogue ;
Swiss private collection ;
Galerie Segoura, Paris ;
Purchased from the above by the current owner

Exposition rétrospective, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 1980, n°97

Similar work : H. HARISSE, L.L. Boilly, sa vie, son oeuvre, Paris, 1898, p 134 n°550

the whites are slightly fairer on the catalogue illustration, especially in the statue and wigs; thin network of craquelures across the surface; little lacuna on the right of the man sitting by the statue (visible in the catalogue); tiny lacunas across the surface; some little repainted areas along the edges; two lacunas on the wig of the man standing with a red jacket; some repainted areas scattered across the surface, especially in the background, on the neck of the sitting woman, on the neck of the statue, in the jacket of the clerk, and between two characters on the far left; good condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This painting is probably Jules Boilly's masterpiece. It may represent the posthumous sale of Philippe III Caffieri's collection which took place in October 1775, during a whole week. Boilly depicts the typical atmosphere of an auction here.
Some works are recognizable : the Lapin de Garenne by Chardin, which was actually offered during the Caffieri auction in 1775, and which belonged to Jules Boilly at some point before being purchased by the Louvre museum in 1852. One can also recognize The Antique Dealer Monkey by Chardin, for which there are more than one version.
Jules Boilly painted another version of our painting, listed in the Harisse monography on Louis-Léopold Boilly (Paris, 1898, n°550). In Harisse's opinion, some areas show such quality that he sees rather Louis-Léopold Boilly's hand. Our painting is by Jules Boilly, but his father may have advised him as he painted it.