L13040

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Lot 84
  • 84

Jacques-Louis David

Estimate
14,000 - 18,000 GBP
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Description

  • Jacques-Louis David
  • study of a woman, head and shoulders, wearing an antique diadem
  • Black chalk;
    signed in pencil lower centre left: David f.; on the verso in pencil: w.161/2 and 3

Provenance

Carnet 12:
probably a gift of the artist to his pupil, Angélique Mongez (1775-1855);
probably sold privately by her descendants in April 1862 to Hippolyte Destailleur,
his sale, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 26-27 May 1893, no. 30 (this drawing and several others removed from the carnet after that sale);
this drawing:
with Wildenstein, Paris, Dessins français du XVIIIe siècle, 1965, no. 8, reproduced;
Denys Sutton, London,
by descent to the present owner

Exhibited

Caracas, Sala Eugenio Mendoza, Exposicion de dibujos del Renacimiento al sigolo XX, 1957, no. 9;
Paris, L’Oeil Galerie d’Art, Dessins francais du XVIIIe siècle, 1969, no. 8

Literature

P. Rosenberg and L.-A. Prat, Jacques-Louis David, 1748-1825, Milan 2002, vol. I, p. 348, no. 387, reproduced; and p. 364, under no. 416

Condition

Hinged at the top with two modern brown paper hinges. Top left corner made up. Little brown and grey staining on the lower margin . Ltitle surface dirt . Overall quite in good condition. Sold in a gilded wooden 19th Century frame.
"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."

Catalogue Note

An extremely fine and powerful head.  Rosenberg and Prat do not connect it to a painting, but note a similarity in pose with a somewhat later tête d'expression.  The woman wears a diadem of a sort in fashion at the time, rather like those worn by Josephine and other members of the Imperial family at her coronation.

Rosenberg and Prat record that this was removed from a carnet which is now in the Louvre, and which contains interesting studies by David for several paintings.1

1. Rosenberg and Prat, op. cit., vol. II, pp. 1142-1154