Author(s):
french school, designer
formerly attributed to oudry, jean-baptiste (paris, 17–03–1686 - beauvais, 30–04–1755), designer
other title: character studies (verso) (attributed title)
production date: around 1770
dating in century: 18th century
type(s) of object(s): graphic arts, drawing
name(s): drawing
dimensions - artwork:
height: 22. 8cm
width: 30. 5cm
dimensions - square line:
height: 22. 4cm
width: 28. 3cm
dimensions - frame:
height: 44cm
width: 49cm
depth: 3. 5cm
marks, inscriptions, hallmarks:
inscription concerning the author - inscription in fine brush, in the tone of the wash, in the left center: "oudry"
inscription concerning the author - second inscription in pen, in a similar tone: "oudry"
inscription - on the back, in the part coated with a light juice, inscription in black ink: "given by m. (illegible) on february 18, 1852 / c. D. "
inscription - on the reverse, in the part coated with a light juice, inscription in black ink, below a first inscription: "porcelaine de sèvres / p. F. N°14 / n°181"
iconographic description:
this drawing is a variation of the fable by jean de la fontaine, "animals sick with the plague", printed in paris in 1678, in the second collection of "fables", dedicated to madame de montespan. On the back, we can see four anecdotal studies of characters scribbled in black chalk: a woman in a headdress holding a bowl, standing near a kitchen table, and accompanied by a rooster, a lover of paintings, in a frock coat, examining with a magnifying glass of the frames hung on a wall, with behind him a sitting dog with a pointed snout, a teenager holding a model boat, leaning in front of an elegant lady and the caricature of a young man. These sketches could possibly be by the same hand as the drawing. Historical commentary:
this work belonged to jean-charles develly, designer of the sèvres factory, as indicated by the inscription that develly himself wrote on the back of the drawing. It was given to him in 1852 by a friend whose name is unfortunately illegible. The second inscription on the reverse, "porcelaine de sèvres / p. F. N°14/ n° 181", is more mysterious. Tamara préaud (oral communication) suggests that this could perhaps correspond to the title and serial number of one of the portfolios in which the collection of drawings from the manufacture royale de sèvres was kept, under the ancien régime, a collection which was looted in the 1780s. If this turns out to be correct, this mention could therefore guarantee that this composition was indeed executed in the 18th century within the framework of the manufacture. Both annotations "oudry" written on the work are almost certainly apocryphal. The drawing is undoubtedly rather a copy or a pastiche made around 1770 by an imitator (cf. Burollet, thérèse, 2008, p. 289-290). Mode of acquisition: purchase at public sale
name of donor, testator, seller: hôtel des ventes drouot
date of acquisition: 02–12–1994
institution: cognacq-jay museum, the taste of the 18th century
inventory number: 1994. 1. Date: circa 1770.
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