24/9/13 - Art market - Paris - While the Musée de la Vie Romantique is presenting a beautiful exhibition on Romantic studies (an article will soon appear), a new gallery devoted exclusively to the 19th century has opened its doors just a few yards away from the museum [1], and its inaugural exhibition highlights painted studies and preparatory drawings.
1. Alexandre-Évariste Fragonard (1780-1850)
Portrait of Man in Profile, c. 1827-1830
Black and white chalk - 28 x 20.5 cm
Galerie La Nouvelle Athènes
Photo : Galerie La Nouvelle Athènes
2. Paul Huet (1803-1869)
Mary Magdalene at Sainte-Baume, c. 1835-1840
Oil on Canvas - 27 x 35.5 cm
Galerie La Nouvelle Athènes
Photo : Galerie La Nouvelle Athènes
This is always a remarkable event as this profession is becoming ever more difficult in what is today a very unfavorable context for the art market. We wish to particularly commend these two young gallery owners, Damien Dumarquez and Raphaël Aracil de Dauksza, as they are passionate in their pursuit as well as being fine connoisseurs. The manner in which they have layed out the space, in keeping with 19th century taste, is very well suited to the works available for sale. Readers can consult the catalogue of this exhibition here (only in PDF as they were not able to publish it on paper), offering views of remarkable works, extremely interesting for art historians and, furthermore, at very affordable prices.
For example, we would like to mention this magnificent head, with an impeccable technique, executed by Alexandre Evariste Fragonard (ill. 1) which was sold immediately at the opening. The drawing is a study of a detail from a watercolor acquired by the Louvre in 1987 representing the macabre discovery of a walled-in couple.
Some works belong to the Romantic period, a reminder of the exhibition at the museum : we would point out notably a Mary Magdalene, a rare religious scene for Paul Huet better known for his landscapes (ill. 2), as well as a landscape study by this same artist.
3. Ferdinand Humbert (1842-1934)
The Abduction of Deianira, 1878
Oil on Panel - 32 x 22.5 cm
Galerie La Nouvelle Athènes
Photo : Galerie La Nouvelle Athènes
4. Jules-Élie Delaunay (1828-1891)
The Death of Nessus, c. 1870
Oil on paper mounted on panel - 27 x 35.5 cm
Galerie La Nouvelle Athènes
Photo : Galerie La Nouvelle Athènes
Others are later in style, like the two studies by, respectively, Ferdinand Humbert and Jules Elie Delaunay, representing almost the same mythological scene. In the first (ill. 3), we see Nessus kidnapping Deianira ; in the second (ill. 4), which takes place a few seconds later, Hercules (not seen in the previous painting) has shot his poisoned arrow at the centaur. The final painting corresponding to the second study resides in Nantes.
5. Luc-Olivier Merson (1803-1869)
Fame, c. 1889
Oil on panel - 27 x 35.5 cm
Galerie La Nouvelle Athènes
Photo : Galerie La Nouvelle Athènes
Finally, we would like to mention one of the most charming works in this hang, which abounds in many : Fame in grisaille by Luc Olivier Merson (ill. 5), preparatory for the admission ticket to the Universal Exhibition of 1889 !
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