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FRENCH ANONYMOUS ARTIST, CIRCA 1750

GALLANT SCENE IN A WOODED PARK

France, mid-18th century

Black chalk on cream laid paper
26 × 33.5 cm./ 10.2 x 13.2 inches, without frame

PROVENANCE
Private collection, Paris

This charming black chalk drawing delicately evokes the refined world of the French fête galante of the 18th century. A group of elegantly dressed ladies and gallants gather in a wooded setting, ideal for polite conversation and bucolic reverie. The free and fluid linework reflects the graphic tradition initiated by Watteau and continued by artists such as Lancret, Pater, and Saint-Aubin.

The semi-circular composition, the economy of means, and the subtlety of the lines reveal a confident hand, attentive to chiaroscuro effects without resorting to stumping or white highlights. This drawing may be considered an autonomous work or a preparatory study for a more elaborate composition, possibly intended for engraving or a small-scale painting.

Typical of the Enlightenment era’s taste for intimate pastoral scenes and elegant social interaction, this sheet captivates with its elegance and freshness.

Base: Paper

Epoque: XVIII century

Genre: Genre painting

Genre: Landscape

Genre: History painting

School: French

Technic: Black chalk