Master Drawings New York 2023
Summary
We are excited to welcome W.M. Brady & Co. to present 18th-century French Drawings from a Private Collection and Old Master and 19th-century Drawings, 1480-1880. Both exhibitions will be on view at our gallery as part of Master Drawings New York from 20-28 January and will remain until 10 February.
Formed over the course of the past forty years, the collection presented is that of an individual with a discerning eye and refined taste, and is comprised of drawings at the highest level by the biggest names in the canon of 18th-century French art. These include a beautiful trois crayons sheet by Charles de La Fosse showing two studies of Saint Anne, preparatory for one of his largest and most important commissions: La Consécration de la Vierge, painted for the high altar of the church of the Convent of the Immaculate Conception on the rue du Bac, Paris, in 1703 (today, Musée André Malraux Havre, Le Havre), as well as one of Claude Gillot’s choice and charming pen and ink and wash drawings of theatrical subjects, Four Actors in Theatrical Costume with Swords (“Capitains”).
Also on view is Antoine Watteau’s magnificent and large drawing in red, black, and white chalk, Study of Two Persian Diplomats, one of nine drawings of male figures in Persian costume which Watteau made in 1715 on the occasion of the visit of the Persian ambassador to Paris. It is the largest of the group and the only one executed in trois crayons, perhaps the artist’s earliest use of the media for which he became renowned.
A fully illustrated digital catalogue will accompany both 18th-century French Drawings from a Private Collection and Old Master and 19th-century Drawings, 1480-1880. ❖
Related event
Society for the History of Collecting
Collector Conversations: Talking Drawings
21 January 2023
17:00 – 18:30
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Maintaining focus is one of life’s challenges. This year’s Conversation features two collectors celebrated for their highly disciplined collections. We will explore how they found their focus and how that focus has shifted over time depending upon their taste and the opportunities presented by the market. Both collectors have shared their works through exhibitions and catalogues, and we will address how this broader engagement with the drawings community enriches and shapes the act of collecting. Join us for a lively and engaging discussion led by Jennifer Tonkovich, Eugene and Clare Thaw Curator of Drawings and Prints at The Morgan Library & Museum. Followed by a reception.❖