Jean-François de Troy

Possibly Nicolas Vennevault, Paris;
His deceased sale, Paris, March 26, 1776, lot 1, ("Une femme pinçant de la guitarre, demi-figure de grandeur naturelle, par J.B. de Troy...");
Anonymous sale, Berlin, Cassirer and Helbing, November 6, 1929, lot 57 (as by Charles-André Vanloo);
Friedrich Frey-Fürst, Switzerland (where it decorated the Hotel Bürgenstock, Lake Lucerne);
Thence by descent to his son, Fritz Frey, Switzerland;
By whom sold (...The Bürgenstock, the Property of Fritz Frey) , London, Sotheby's, December 11, 1996, lot 211 (as Attributed to Jean Raoux), for £11,500;
Anonymous sale, New York, Sotheby's, May 29, 2003, lot 141.

F. Frey, Bürgenstock, Zürich, Stuttgart, Fretz & Wasmuth 1967, pp. 150-151 (as by Carle van Loo);
C. Leribault, Jean François de Troy (1679-1752), Paris 2002, p. 227, cat. no. P.36, reproduced, p. 227.

Canvas is relined. Overall painting presents a strong image with nice retention of paint, coloration, and impasto, most notably in the face of the sitter. No major areas of overpaint or restoration are visible to the naked eye. U.V. light confirms overall good preservation. Slight thinning of paint along left hand, near the guitar, but mostly in area where paint is thinnly applied. An old repaired tear in canvas is visible under U.V., which rests along upper right portion of the chest. Other area of abrasion visible under U.V. along left portion of chest. Curved areas along bottom right and left of canvas shows where old frame might have abraded painting, but this abrasion is invisible to the naked eye. A few other nicks here and there but nothing major. As stated, picture presents a lovely image and is presentable in its current state. In a carved and giltwood frame.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The correct attribution of this painting to Jean-François de Troy was first suggested by Pierre Rosenberg.¹ This was further supported by the reappearance at auction in 1997 of Jean-Francois de Troy's Two Women at a Keyboard; in which the physiognomies of the two figures are very close to that of the figure of The Guitar Player.²  Leribaut (see Literature) has suggested that these two paintings may be identifiable with two of the three paintings by de Troy that appeared in the Nicolas Vennevault sale of 1776 (see Provenance).  Though there are discrepancies in the sizes, the descriptions match precisely.  The third painting in that sale depicted a Young Woman Playing the Flute.

1.  In a notation made on a photograph in the Witt Library, London.
2.  See C. Leribault, Jean François de Troy (1679-1752), Paris 2002, pp. 226-7, cat. no. P.35, reproduced, p. 227.