With the arrival of spring, we are delighted to present our splendid collection of paintings and drawings spanning from the Renaissance to the 20th century.
The catalog opens with a striking sheet, executed in pen and brown ink by Guglielmo Caccia, depicting the Holy Family and the Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine of Alexandria.
Originally from Piedmont and active at the end of the 16th century, this artist distinguished himself with subjects reflecting the ideals of the Counter-Reformation.
The journey continues with a powerful portrait of a young man wearing a beret against a green background, painted by Francesco Salviati. Elegant in his demeanor and imbued with deep melancholy, this young man is captured with striking realism by the artist, a devotee of the Bella Maniera in Florence during the early 16th century.
From Florence, we travel to 18th-century Venice with a rare pen and brown wash drawing by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. This faun and fauness are rendered with remarkable freedom and great economy of means, giving the illusion of “floating figures.”
The visit continues with a pastel on vellum by François Boucher entitled La Nymphe surprise, a major rediscovery in the painter’s body of work.
Like his master François Lemoyne and Maurice Quentin de La Tour, Boucher developed the use of this medium on paper or parchment in the 1750s.
Next, Jean-Baptiste Greuze captivates us with a double male academy drawing in three crayons from 1759, based on live models at the Academy.
At the end of the 18th century and the dawn of the 19th century, a female artist trained in the studio of Jean-Baptiste Regnault engages us with her gaze in a portrait of a young man in a frock coat, executed in black chalk and white chalk on buff paper.
Pastel also takes center stage with an Italianate landscape featuring a bridge animated by figures, created by Jean-Baptiste Pillement. Rendered entirely in shades of blue, ochre, and grisaille, this work is a rarity for the artist.
Corot is also honored with a watercolor of a mandolin player, a memento from one of his stays in Italy.
Our journey continues with The Regattas at Asnières, a lively watercolor by Albert Adam.
Edgar Maxence invites us into contemplation with a young woman in prayer, bringing a sense of calm and serenity.
We conclude our promenade with a breath of fresh air along the cliffs of Fécamp, where Claude-Émile Schuffenecker brings his canvas to life with vibrant colors and divided brushstrokes.
I invite you to come and discover these beautiful works at the gallery starting on March 25th.
Alexis Bordes