Charles-François Grenier de Lacroix, called Lacroix de Marseille

Lacroix de Marseilles was first documented in Rome in 1750 in the company of the Marquis de Vandières. His first dated work is from this same year, a view of a Seaport, signed and dated 'Grenier. de La. Crois. fecit Rom 1750'.¹  The following year he made four copies of works by Claude-Joseph Vernet, under whom he was certainly studying so indistinguishable in style are his copies from Vernet's originals.²  Only after Vernet left Rome in 1753 do Lacroix's paintings take on their own identity. He is not recorded back in France until 1776, when he exhibited at the Exposition du Colisée. 

These small-scale, charming sketches were likely painted in the late 1760s or early 1770s, just before the artist's return to his native country. They can be compared to another pair of copper landscapes signed and dated 1772 and 1773, respectively, which were sold at Christie's, 26 June 2002, lot 45. 

We are grateful to Jean-Luc Ryaux for his assistance with the cataloguing of this lot. 

1. Now in the Toledo Museum of Art: http://emuseum.toledomuseum.org/objects/55241/a-mediterranean-seaport?ctx=cf736b35-efa4-4bc7-9918-268c39211961&idx=0 

2. Now at Uppark, Sussex; Vernet's originals are also at Uppark.