- 113
JEAN-LOUIS-ANDRÉ-THÉODORE GÉRICAULT | Le violoniste aveugle
Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 EUR
bidding is closed
Description
- Jean-Louis-André-Théodore Géricault
- Le violoniste aveugle
- Pen and brown ink over black chalk
- 269 x 200 mm; 10 5/8 by 7 7/8 in
Provenance
Possibly Alexandre-Marie Colin, Paris;
Private collection, Nancy;
Collection Lewis Reines, Brooklyn, until 2013
Private collection, Nancy;
Collection Lewis Reines, Brooklyn, until 2013
Condition
Hinged in a few places. Bottom right corner cut and made up. The paper is buckled and the surface of the paper may have been cleaned. There is some surface dirt, general condition is quite good. Sold in a carved and wooden possibly French 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."
"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
We are most grateful to Philippe Grunchec, who, having seen the drawing in the original, has confirmed the attribution to Jean-Louis-André-Théodore Géricault.
This emotive and pathos-laden sheet, executed in pen and brown ink over abundant black chalk underdrawing, depicts a blind man playing the violin and must surely date, both on stylistic grounds and its atypical subject matter, to Gericault's time in Italy, circa 1816-17. Interestingly a second version of the composition is known, drawn solely in pen and brown ink and today housed in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Besançon.1 Indeed it was this version that was published by Germain Bazin, who appears to have been unaware of the existence of the present sheet, at the time. The vigorous black chalk underdrawing, so evident in our drawing, makes a compelling case for Gericault's authorship, as well as a strong argument for its being his original concept of the composition. By contrast the arguably more laboured penmanship in the Besançon sheet, suggests that that drawing was created at a later date, possibly as a ricordo by the artist.
1. G. Bazin, Théodore Géricault: étude critique, documents et catalogue raisonné, vol. IV, Paris 1990, pp. 19 and 132, no. 1187, reproduced.
This emotive and pathos-laden sheet, executed in pen and brown ink over abundant black chalk underdrawing, depicts a blind man playing the violin and must surely date, both on stylistic grounds and its atypical subject matter, to Gericault's time in Italy, circa 1816-17. Interestingly a second version of the composition is known, drawn solely in pen and brown ink and today housed in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Besançon.1 Indeed it was this version that was published by Germain Bazin, who appears to have been unaware of the existence of the present sheet, at the time. The vigorous black chalk underdrawing, so evident in our drawing, makes a compelling case for Gericault's authorship, as well as a strong argument for its being his original concept of the composition. By contrast the arguably more laboured penmanship in the Besançon sheet, suggests that that drawing was created at a later date, possibly as a ricordo by the artist.
1. G. Bazin, Théodore Géricault: étude critique, documents et catalogue raisonné, vol. IV, Paris 1990, pp. 19 and 132, no. 1187, reproduced.