Piat-Joseph Sauvage

"The following condition report has been provided by Henry Gentle, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The canvases are unlined and have lost tension with the result that there are visible stretcher marks and deformations. The paint layer is raised and unstable with some obvious restored out loss. Most of the paintings are in an untouched condition. A tonal improvement would be achieved by removing the varnish from both. Offered in good Empire frames."
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Sauvage was a regular exhibitor atthe Paris Salon and probably the foremost exponent of trompe l'oeil painting in France. In 1785 he was commissioned, for example, to paint a series of overdoors for the Royal Apartments at Fontainbleau. The present pair can be compared to another autograph work by Sauvage in imitation of bronze on marble, and of similar dimensions, sold New York, Sotheby's, 21 April 1998, lot 129. Another example, dated 1760 is in the Musée de Bijloke in Ghent.