The inscription ‘Adam’ at lower right probably indicates the name of a later owner of this drawing. Previously this was thought to be the sculptor Lambert-Sigisbert Adam (1700-1759), who presumably would have been interested in the subject depicted, a statue placed in the Tuileries Gardens in 1717. However, the style of the drawing and an inscription on the verso suggest the sheet should be dated around 1779, twenty years after Adam’s death. Therefore, the identity of the collector ‘Adam’, whose name is also inscribed on other drawings, remains a mystery.

Adam, L.4 (lower right and again on verso, identity unknown); possibly Pierre Surugue (1728-1786) and/or Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart (1739-1813) (as they are named in verso inscriptions in artist's hand); Baron Jérome Pichon, Paris (1812-1896); his sale, Delestre (Paris), 17-21 May 1897, lot 129 (information provided to Seilern upon his purchase, but lot 129 is described as "Le temps enlevant La Vérité. Groupe en marbre placé sur un piédestal dans un jardin", black chalk on blue paper, 0,178 x 0,122, and PG.228 is definitely not blue paper); if lot 129, purchased there by Henry Lannier; anonymous sale, Paris, 3 - 4 June 1920, lot 20; Adrien Fauchier Magnan (1873-1963) (as per label on former backboard); his sale, Sotheby's (London), 4 December 1935, lot 51; purchased there by Count Antoine Seilern, London (1901-1978); Princes Gate Bequest 1978

Drawings Gallery Display - Reading Drawings, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 21/01/2017-04/06/2017

French Drawings: XVI-XIX Centuries, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 04/07/1991-06/10/1991

France in the eighteenth century, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 06/01/1968-03/03/1968

Gabriel de Saint-Aubin, 1724-1780, Frick Collection, New York, 30 October 2007 - 27 January 2008 and Musée du Louvre, Paris, 28 February - 26 May 2008
under no. 42
fig. 1 under no. 42

French Drawings: XVI-XIX Centuries, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1991
no. 43 on p. 96
ill. on p. 97

Borne, François, 'Excellence in obscurity: French drawings at the Courtauld Institute of Art' in 'Apollo', September 1991 - pp. 192-94; CXXXIV, 355
p. 194 ...More

Watermark: Watermark: none.

Collector's mark: Recto: lower right, and again on Verso: centre, written in brown ink: unidentified collector (L.4).

Label: Backboard (removed, now in object file): stamped in blue and filled in with blue ink: "CHENUE / EMBALLAGE TRANSPORTS / M. Fauchier Magnan / 76[circled] Gab de St Aubin / Vue du jardin de Tuileries / 5, Rue de la Terrasse, PARIS".

Stamp: Backboard (removed, now in object file): upper centre: a diamond, stamped in black, with feathers at top: "ZOLLAMT / WIEN / 74"; upper centre, a circle stamped in black, filled in with text: "DOUANES EXPOSITION PARIS".

Inscription: Recto: lower right, brown ink, collector's mark L.4: "Adam". Verso: upper centre edge, graphite, artist's hand (according to Christophe Leribault and Colin Bailey, 2008) from an ode, written by M. de Buffon, written for M. le Brun in 1779: “la nature avec toi fit sept pas [rest of line faded or cut off] / tout l’espace a pose sept flambeaux sur la route des temps ode a m le brun 1779 / V / [final line illegible]”; upper left, brown ink: “1687.”; centre, brown ink, large, collector's mark L.4: "Adam"; upper right corner, black ink, artist’s hand: "pour / mr / brogniar[…]"; right centre edge, black ink, artist’s hand: "pour / mr / Surugu[…]"; lower centre edge, graphite: “size1”. Backboard (removed and now in object file): upper centre, graphite: “d’arrosage”; upper left on a white label, blue ink: “Etude pour le dessin “Le tonneau de / arrosage” aux Tuilerie – dessin aux / Arts Decoratifs – grave par Gabriel lui même”; centre, brown ink: “Enée enlevant Anchise / par le Paultre / Jardin de Tuilerie.”; lower centre, brown ink: “ “Adam” / Signature: Marque de la collection de / Lambert Sigismond Adam, sculpteur / Sa vente fut faite le 9 Juillet 1759 (Dessins, sculpt[cut off by edge] / (voir Dict.re de Marques de Collect[cut off] / de Lugt (1921)”.