Claude Gillot

Denys Sutton, thence by inheritance to the present owner

Some very tiny, pale fox marks, and also some very pale blue spot stains, otherwise in very 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Whilst Gillot is known mostly for his sometimes bizarre genre scenes, depicting bacchanals, gamblers or figures from the Commedia dell'Arte, he also produced a number of drawings of religious subjects.  The present sheet was drawn as part of a series of 56 drawings of the Life of Christ made in 1720, towards the end of his career, perhaps for an unrecorded book illustration project. The drawings were eventually engraved after Gillot's death by Gabriel Huquier, and published, without text, as an independent set of prints.¹  Other drawings from the series are preserved at the Bibliothèque Royale, Brussels.

The drawing formerly belonged to Denys Sutton, an expert on French art, and Editor of Apollo magazine for over 25 years.

1. See B. Populus, Claude Gillot (1673-1722) Catalogue de l'Oeuvre Gravé, Paris 1930, pp. 178-191, cat. nos. 282-339, the Baptism of Christ p. 180, no. 291