Sébastien Leclerc

Sale, Monaco, Sotheby's, 15 June 1990, lot 19

The Siege of Orsoy: Window mounted and laid down on another sheet for support. Overall in good condition. There are a few abrasions to the sheet, mainly concentrated in the upper section, where you can notice tiny areas where the paper has been rubbed. There is one visible brown stain towards the upper right margin. A strip of paper has been added in the centre, it appears to have been added by the artist to make a small change to that part of the drawing, this section of paper has a slightly pinkish hue. The pen and ink and wash remain fresh. Sold in a decorative, gilded frame. A Cossack on Horseback: The sheet is hinged to the mount at the upper margin. Overall the sheet is in fairly good condition. There is a small brown stain at the upper margin, towards the left hand side. There is a faint crease along the upper margin where the sheet has been glued down. There is one tiny mark/stain at the bottom right hand corner that looks like white heightening. The pen and ink and wash remain fresh
"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."

The present pen and ink drawing by Sébastien Leclerc is a preparatory work for an engraving of the same subject.  Between 1683 and 1694, Sébastien Leclerc together with Louis de Châtillon (1639-1734) produced a series of 28 engravings, entitled Les Grandes Conquêtes de Roi, which recorded the battles and conquests of Louis XIV.  Leclerc was responsible for the preliminary drawings which he worked on between 1683 and 1687, and which were later engraved by Louis de Châtillon and by Leclerc himself.

Orsoy, situated at the edge of the Rhine and under the rule of the Duchy of Cleves, was invaded and captured by Louis XIV on 3rd June 1672.  It was not until 1678 that Orsoy was returned to Prussia, after nearly a century of foreign occupations.

An impression of the print of the Siege of Orsoy is at the British Museum¹ along with several other engravings from this series.  Another preparatory drawing by Leclerc of the same subject is in the Royal Collection at Windsor.²

1. British Museum, inv no. 1917,1208.1660
2. A. Blunt, The French Drawings at Windsor Castle, Oxford, 1945, p. 29, no. 137a

together with an ink drawing, follower of Antoine-Charles-Horace Vernet, called Carle Vernet of a Cossack on horseback, 10.5cm. x 25cm.