Three studies of female figures
Maker
(artist)
1684-1721
1684-1721
Title
Three studies of female figures
Date of Production
(circa) 1716 - 1718
Medium
black and red chalk, graphite, on laid paper, with black ink framing lines, laid down, tipped into false margins
Dimensions
Height: 22.8 cm
Width: 17.9 cm
Width: 17.9 cm
Accession Number
D.1978.PG.222
Mode of Acquisition
bequest, 1978
Credit
The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)
Location
Not currently on display
Keywords
Notes
Likely drawn from life, the three female figures on this sheet are unrelated studies sketched by Watteau to be used as characters in his paintings at a later date. The pose of the woman in the upper right appears in two of Watteau’s late paintings, Les Champs Elysées (1716-17) and Divertissements champêtres (1718-20), both now residing in The Wallace Collection, London. It appears that the sheet was once larger and contained more figure studies; a hint of drapery can be seen on the upper left edge of the paper.
The different combinations of red chalk, black chalk, and graphite used to depict each figure in the sheet are testament to Watteau’s skilled use of mixed media in his later drawings. The sketches focus on the pose and dress of the women, showcasing the textures of bunched fabric and the play of light across folds of material. The assertive use of straight strokes, such as on the back and sleeves of the lower figure, is characteristic of Watteau’s late graphic style.
Provenance
From Rosenberg and Prat 1996: Blockhuysen Collection (according to 1898 catalogue); Dr August Sträter, Aix-la-Chapelle (1810-1897), L.787 (verso, lower centre); his estate sale, H.G. Gutekunst (Stuttgart), 10-14 May 1898, lot 1222, repr.; purchased there by Meder (annotated catalogue available on Brill); Jacques Doucet, Paris (1853-1929); his sale, Galerie Georges Petit (Paris), 5 June 1912, lot 63, repr.; Mortimer L. Schiff, New York (1877-1931); by descent to John Mortimer Schiff, New York (1904-1987); his sale, Christie's (London), 24 June 1938, lot 55; purchased there by Count Antoine Seilern (1901-1978); Princes Gate Bequest 1978
Exhibition History
Drawings Gallery Display - Drawing Together, Courtauld Gallery, London, 30/09/2017-02/01/2018
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 16/10/1991-19/01/1992
Drawing - Technique and Purpose, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 28/01/1981-26/04/1981 ...More
Three French reigns, Sir Philip Sassoon, 25 Park Lane, London, 1933 ...Less
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 16/10/1991-19/01/1992
Drawing - Technique and Purpose, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 28/01/1981-26/04/1981 ...More
Three French reigns, Sir Philip Sassoon, 25 Park Lane, London, 1933 ...Less
Literature
The Courtauld Gallery and Thomas, Ben. Drawing Together (London: Courtauld Gallery, 2017-2018)
p. 8
Fig. p. 11
Rosenberg, Pierre and Louis-Antoine Prat, Antoine Watteau, 1684-1721: catalogue raisonné des dessins, Milan 1996
vol. 2, no. 451 on p. 746
Fig. p. p. 747
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1991
cat. no. 79
pp. 166, 197
Fig. p. p. 167 ...More
Ingamells, John, The Wallace Collection: catalogues of pictures. 3 French before 1815, London 1989
p. 357 under no. 389 and p. 360
Watteau, 1684-1721, National Gallery of Art, Washington; Galeries nationales du Grand Palais, Paris; Château de Charlottenbourg, Berlin, 1984-1985
p. 196 under no. D117
Fig. p. fig. 2 on p. 196
Drawing - Technique and Purpose, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1981
cat. no. 148
Christie's, London, Important pictures and drawings by old masters, London 1961
no. 222
Fig. p. pl. XLVII
Seilern, Count Antoine, Paintings and drawings of Continental Schools other than Flemish and Italian at 56 Princes Gate, London SW7, London 1961; III
no. 222
Fig. p. pl. XLVII
dated c. 1716-18
Parker, K.T. and Jacques Mathey, Antoine Watteau: catalogue complet de son oeuvre dessiné, Paris 1957
p. 305 and no. 638 on p. 319
Fig. p. repr.
Parker, K.T., The drawings of Antoine Watteau, 1931
pp. 36, 46, no. 64
Fig. p. pl. 64
Lugt, Frits, Les marques de collections, Amsterdam 1921
p. 142 under L.787
Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, Collection. Part I, Dessins et pastels du XVIIIe siècle, 5 June 1912
no. 63
Fig. p. repr.
H.G. Gutekunst, Stuttgart, Kupferstiche, Radierungen, Holzschnitte und Zeichnungen, 10 - 14 May 1898
no. 1222
Fig. p. repr.
Goncourt, Edmond, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, dessiné et gravé d'Antoine Watteau, Paris 1875
under nos. 586 and 673 ...Less
p. 8
Fig. p. 11
Rosenberg, Pierre and Louis-Antoine Prat, Antoine Watteau, 1684-1721: catalogue raisonné des dessins, Milan 1996
vol. 2, no. 451 on p. 746
Fig. p. p. 747
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1991
cat. no. 79
pp. 166, 197
Fig. p. p. 167 ...More
Ingamells, John, The Wallace Collection: catalogues of pictures. 3 French before 1815, London 1989
p. 357 under no. 389 and p. 360
Watteau, 1684-1721, National Gallery of Art, Washington; Galeries nationales du Grand Palais, Paris; Château de Charlottenbourg, Berlin, 1984-1985
p. 196 under no. D117
Fig. p. fig. 2 on p. 196
Drawing - Technique and Purpose, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1981
cat. no. 148
Christie's, London, Important pictures and drawings by old masters, London 1961
no. 222
Fig. p. pl. XLVII
Seilern, Count Antoine, Paintings and drawings of Continental Schools other than Flemish and Italian at 56 Princes Gate, London SW7, London 1961; III
no. 222
Fig. p. pl. XLVII
dated c. 1716-18
Parker, K.T. and Jacques Mathey, Antoine Watteau: catalogue complet de son oeuvre dessiné, Paris 1957
p. 305 and no. 638 on p. 319
Fig. p. repr.
Parker, K.T., The drawings of Antoine Watteau, 1931
pp. 36, 46, no. 64
Fig. p. pl. 64
Lugt, Frits, Les marques de collections, Amsterdam 1921
p. 142 under L.787
Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, Collection. Part I, Dessins et pastels du XVIIIe siècle, 5 June 1912
no. 63
Fig. p. repr.
H.G. Gutekunst, Stuttgart, Kupferstiche, Radierungen, Holzschnitte und Zeichnungen, 10 - 14 May 1898
no. 1222
Fig. p. repr.
Goncourt, Edmond, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, dessiné et gravé d'Antoine Watteau, Paris 1875
under nos. 586 and 673 ...Less
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: Recto, along left edge: a line of text contained within a banner; unable to read due to backing sheet, but appears to have a “V” and thus could be an Auvergne mark, as in e.g. Heawood 3385, 3389 and 3390 – Paris c. 1746, Paris 1773 and Paris 1754, respectively.
Inscription: Verso: centre, graphite, underlined: "815"; lower centre, graphite: "I". Margins, Verso: lower right corner, graphite: "I 13".
Collector's mark: Verso: lower centre edge, stamped in black ink: Dr August Sträter (L.787).
Inscription: Verso: centre, graphite, underlined: "815"; lower centre, graphite: "I". Margins, Verso: lower right corner, graphite: "I 13".
Collector's mark: Verso: lower centre edge, stamped in black ink: Dr August Sträter (L.787).
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