JEAN-HONORÉ FRAGONARD | A scene from Ariosto's Orlando Furioso: Cimosco kills Orlando's Mount

Hippolyte Walferdin, who probably bought the complete set of Fragonard's Ariosto drawings directly from the artist's family,
his sale, Paris, Hotel Drouot, 12-16 April 1880, part of lot 228 (bought by Roederer);
Louis Roederer, Rheims,
by descent to his nephew, Léon Olry-Roederer,
by whom consigned to Thos. Agnew and Sons Ltd, London, in 1922;
sold en bloc to Dr. A.S. Rosenbach, Philadelphia, who dispersed the set;
Arthur Houghton;
with Thos. Agnew and Sons Ltd, 1978;
Private Collection, UK

E. Morgan, P. Hofer, J. Seznec, Fragonard Drawings for Ariosto, London 1945 (pl. 48, p. 67);
M.-A. Dupuy-Vachey, Fragonard et le Roland Furieux, Paris 2003 (pl. 80, no. 75)

Hinged to the mount at the upper margin. Overall in good condition. Slight discoloration evident around the edges of the sheet. Light brown stain in the upper right corner. A few small holes in the upper section of the sheet, barely visible. Overall chalk and wash still strong and vibrant.
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 present drawing illustrates Canto IX, verses 76-77, of Ariosto's epic poem, Orlando Furioso, the moment when Cimosco charges forth and kills Orlando's horse.  Fragonard's composition is dramatic and full of energy, his rapid application of chalk and wash add to the frenzy of the battle scene.  Orlando straddles his rearing horse, which occupies the right section of the sheet and Fragonard has almost silhouetted them against the background, using darker wash and more prominent chalk lines to make them stand out.  In the background Fragonard has cleverly created a sense of chaos using the chalk to create staccato lines where we see riders have fallen to the ground during this intense battle. This and the other drawing from the same series (see lot 50) demonstrate Fragonard's creative ability to interpret the text of the poem in such a vivid and spontaneous manner, making the narrative spring to life on the page.