Important Old Master Paintings & Drawings 10 April 2013

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1 Press Release Important Old Master Paintings & Drawings 10 April 2013 Paris Drawings Week this April, coinciding with the Salon du Dessin, will again see Artcurial Briest- Poulain-F.Tajan stage a prestige sale at the Hôtel Marcel-Dassault. This year the auction, to be held on Wednesday 10 April 2013, will include an important ensemble of Old Master & 19 th Century Paintings as well the drawings usually offered at this time. Given the increasing rarity of exceptional works on the market, leading international auction firms now tend to include Old Master Drawings, Sculpture and even sometimes Objets d Art in their sales of Old Master & 19 th Century Paintings. The sale of 10 April reflects this market trend. Sale highlights include two paintings from the former Paris collection of Professor René Küss, sold by Christie s London in 2005/06: a View of the Roman Forum by Giovanni Paolo Panini (est. 120, ,000); and a sketch of The Death of Constantine by Peter Paul Rubens (est. 150, ,000). Giovanni Paolo Panini View of the Roman Forum est

2 Rubens role in the history of early 17 th century French art should not be overlooked, whatever the scarcity of his works on the French market. Our small sketch a preparatory work for a series of twelve tapestries illustrating the Life of Emperor Constantine commissioned by Louis XIII is a fine example. Pierre-Paul Rubens The Death of Constantine est An exceptional, signed and dated Bouquet of Flowers by Rachel Ruysch, one of the few female artists of the 18th century, comes in a wonderful state of preservation ( e s t , , ). Connoisseurs will appreciate the smooth, delicate touch of this appealing still life, which hails from a collection in the North of France. Rachel Ruysch Bouquet of Flowers est. 400, ,000

3 The Dutch School is also represented, via an ambitious Landscape with Waterfall from Jacob van Ruisdael s mature period (est. 200, ,000). This oil on canvas marvellously reflects Ruisdael s skill in rendering the nature and atmosphere of wooded landscapes beneath glowering skies. The Italian School is not forgotten, either. Historical painting is represented by Aeneas Departing from Dido by the Neapolitan Francesco de Mura, an oil on canvas in exceptional condition (est. 100, ,000). Jacob van Ruisdael s Landscape with Waterfall est. 200, ,000 Francesco de Mura Aeneas Departing from Dido est. 100, ,000

4 Along with an pair of enigmatic still lifes by the Master of Vanities, there will be a late 16 th century Scene from the Commedia dell Arte evoking the history of Italian comedy in France: the first Italian actors to perform in France were summoned by Catherine de Medici in the reign of Henri III. This brightly coloured oil on panel, documented by Charles Sterling, features a striking frieze of characters in varying poses (est. 100, ,000). A string of major French rediscoveries could set the Hôtel Dassault alight. Take Jean-Baptiste- Marie Pierre s Heureuse Rencontre dated 1761, with its perfect condition and ambitious dimensions (est. 50,000-70,000); or the attractive, David-influenced Portrait of Victorine Frémiet Playing the Guitar (1818), painted by Victorine s sister Sophie Rude during their Brussels exile. This masterpiece is doubtless one of her finest works, and comes fresh to the market. It has remained in Belgium with the sitter s descendants until today and did not even appear in the recent François & Sophie Rude exhibition in Dijon (est. 50,000-70,000). OLD MASTER & 19th CENTURY DRAWINGS The sale on April 10 also includes an ensemble of Old Master & 19 th Century Drawings, notably from the French School, led by a large, redchalk Architectural Caprizzio with the Doors of St Peter's Rome (1763) by Hubert Robert (est. 30,000-40,000). A Sprig of Magnolia by Redouté, a charming red-chalk sketch by Dandré-Bardon, a portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by Jean-Urbain Guérin and a View of Mount Tabor by Louis-François Cassas a preparatory sketch for the engraving in his Voyage Pittoresque are among the graphic works on offer. Hubert Robert Architectural Capriccio with the Portal of St Peter s Rome est. 30,000-40,000 An important ensemble owned in the late 18th century by the English collector James Forbes, inherited by his descendants before joining the Charles de Montalembert Library in the 19th century, will also be offered for sale. It features an album of incredibly fresh Piranese engravings (est. 10,000-15,000); a set of late 18th century American views; and an album of coloured lithograph hunting-scenes from early 19th century India. Highlight is an album of over fifty graphic works assembled by James Forbes himself which, along with drawings from a host of different national schools, includes a major ensemble from the 18th century collection of Giovanni Antonio Zanetti in Venice.

5 A large, incredibly modern Etude pour les Travailleurs de la Mer by Victor Hugo (est. 90, ,000) will appeal to all collectors who remember the tremendous Hugo world record set in the Artcurial salerooms in April The French 19 th century is represented by a splendid Edgar Degas drawing of a Femme à sa Toilette (est. 40,000-60,000), alongside delightful drawings by Géricault, Delacroix, Jean-Francois Millet and Jean-Léon Gérôme. Jean-Urbain Guérin Portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart est. 20,000-30,000 Victor Hugo Etude pour les Travailleurs de la Mer est. 90, ,000 ARTCURIAL BRIEST-POULAIN-F.TAJAN Hôtel Marcel Dassault 7 rond-point des Champs Elysées - Paris 8ème Auction: 10 April pm Viewing: Saturday 6 April 11am 6pm, Sunday 7 April 2 6pm, Monday 8 & Tuesday 9 April 11am 7pm Specialist & Auctioneer: Matthieu Fournier Sale Expert: Cabinet de Bayser in collaboration with Cabinet Turquin (Paintings) Press Contact: Armelle Maquin tel : armelle.maquin@wanadoo.fr