JEAN-JACQUES LAGRENÉE II | A study of two figures sitting at the foot of a Roman bas-relief

Collection Albert Van Loock (né en 1917), Bruxelles (L. 3751) ; 
Acquis auprès de cette galerie, juin 1984.

Rennes, 2012, n°66 (notice par Guillaume Faroult) ;
Sceaux, 2013 (sans catalogue)

Hinge mounted to a modern mount. The left and right edges are somewhat uneven and there are old repaired tears to the left half of the upper edge and the centre of the lower edge. The top left corner has also been repaired. The drawing itself remains in good condition with the combination of media fresh and vibrant throughout. Sold unframed.
"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.
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This handsome sheet, drawn in a splendid combination of media, fits securely into a small group of surviving drawings by Lagrenée le Jeune that the artist executed circa 1782, in preparation for his Recueil de compositions par Lagrenée Le Jeune, a series of etchings “à la manière de lavis”, after the Antique. Though the Adrien sheet is not preparatory for a specific etching from this series, it fits both stylistically and by subject matter, with other drawings from the same period, including a rare sheet that can be securely connected to the Recueil de compositions par Lagrenée Le Jeune, now housed in the Staatliche Museen, Berlin.¹

1. E. Berckenhagen, Die französischen Zeichnungen der Kunstbibliothek, Berlin 1970, pp. 366-67, fig. Hdz 3615, reproduced