Nicolas-Bernard Lépicié

Possibly Eugène Tondu, 
his sale, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 10-13 May 1865, lot 316 (sold 6 francs)

Possibly P. Gaston-Dreyfus, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint et dessiné de Nicolas-Bernard Lépicié (1735-1784), Paris 1923, p. 121, no. 422

Laid down on a modern mount. Tiny light brown stains on the sheet. There is oxidation on the white heightening. The ink is strong and fresh and the paper in good condition. Sold in a simple gilded frame (Louis XVI style).
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This very beautiful and lively study is one of a number for the staffage in Lépicié's large painting Vue de l'intérieur d'une grande halle, a signed and dated work that was shown in the Salon of 1779.¹  It was one of the artist's greatest public successes.  Even Diderot, who was not among his first supporters, praised it, and some contemporary observers compared the artist to Teniers, a great compliment at the time.

Several of the figures depicted here appear in the final composition, adjacent to the vendors' stalls.

 

1. P. Gaston-Dreyfus, op. cit., p. 81, no. 191, reproduced