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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 1)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on panel
23.5 x 31
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Karnevalsszene
PROVENANCE
Brussels, private collection.
Vienna, sale, Dorotheum, December 14, 2010, lot 425: “Philippe Mercier . . . zugeschrieben. Karnevalsszene mit vier eleganten Personen und einem Mohren. Öl auf Holz. 23.5 31 cm. gerahmt. € 4.000 – 6.000. US$ 5.500-8.300 / Provenienz: Privatsammlung, Brüssel.”
REMARKS
Although presented as a work by Philippe Mercier, a frequently employed failsafe for copies after Watteau, this picture is simply an anonymous copy after the Thomassin engraving.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 2)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on panel
23.5 x 26 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Le Retour du bal
PROVENANCE
Paris, sale, Hôtel Drouot (Ader Picard Tajan, December 20, 1989, lot 58: ”Suiveur d’Antoine WATTEAU, Le Retour du bal, Bois / 23,5 x 26 cm 8000/12 000 F . . . Restaurations . . .” Sold together with a pendant (a copy after La Finette), for 27,000 F ($4,536) the pair.
REMARKS
As is shown by its reversed direction, the painting was based upon Thomassin’s engraving after Coquettes qui pour voir. However, the format was changed to a slightly more vertical one, which perhaps better suited the format of the copy after La Finette with which it was paired.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 3)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on panel
22.9 x 30.5 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Les Masques
PROVENANCE
London, sale, Christie’s, May 8-9, 1913, lot 160: “WATTEAU SCHOOL. . . . LES MASQUES / On panel—9 in. by 12 in.” Sold for £24.3 to “ Parsons” according to an annotated copy of the sale catalogue in the National Art Library, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
London, with E. Parsons (art dealer).
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 4)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on panel
20 x 23 cm
PROVENANCE
Paris, collection of baron Vivant-Jean Brunet-Denon (1778-1866; politician). His sale, February 2, 1846, lot 233: “[WATTEAU (Ecole de) ] . . . Mascarade. Cinq figures à mi-corps , un sganarelle, un cassandre, un nègre et deux femmes. Tableau sur bois.”
Brussels, collection of John W. Wilson (1815-1883; owner of a textile factory). His sale, Paris, at his home on avenue Hoche, March 14-16, 1881, lot 18: “LECLERC (Dit LECLERC DES GOBELINS, SÉBASTIEN) . . . La Comédienne italienne, d’après Watteau. C’est une copie du célèbre tableau du Musée de Berlin. Il a été grave par Thomassin. Au premier plan, à gauche, Cassandre, puis derrière un appui en pierre, Colombine, un mezztin, un négrillon, et une actrice vue de profil et tenant un masque de velours noir de la main gauche. Bois. Haut., 20 cent.; larg., 23 cent.”
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ferré, Watteau (1972), under cat. B30.
Washington, Paris, Berlin, Watteau 1684-1721 (1984), under cat. P19.
REMARKS
Until now it had not been recognized that baron Brunet-Denon’s Watteau and Wilson’s Watteau were one and the same painting. Both were panel paintings with identical measurements, they were described in similar terms when they were sold at auction. Both collectors owned other paintings attributed to Watteau or his school.
Ferré suggested that Brunet-Denon’s painting might be the same as the one sold at the Hôtel Drouot in 1922. (our cat. 7). However the Brunet-Denon painting was on panel whereas the painting sold in 1922 was on canvas.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 5)
Entered January 2019; revised May 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on panel
32.5 x 42.5 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Les Comédiens
PROVENANCE
Paris, sale, Hôtel Drouot (Ader Picard Tajan), February 26, 1975, lot 128: “WATTEAU (d’après). . . Les comédiens. Devant un édifice, deux couples en costume de comédie sont groupés autour d’un jeune noir. Panneau. Haut. 0 m 330; Larg. 0 m 425.”
Paris, sale, Nouveau Drouot (Ader Picard Tajan), December 7, 1983, lot 100: “WATTEAU (d’après) / Ecole français XIXe siècle . . . Les comédiens. Bois. 32,5 x 42,5. F 5000.”
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
Washington, Paris, Berlin, Watteau 1684-1721 (1984) under cat P19.
REMARKS
Despite its relatively recent appearance on the market, it has not been possible to trace this large version of Watteau’s painting. Unfortunately, it was not illustrated in the sale catalogue.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 6)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on canvas
26 x 32 cm
PROVENANCE
Paris, sale, Salle de feu Lebrun, February 2ff,1829, lot 77: “VATTEAU (attribué) . . . Réunion de quatre personnes avec un nègre: composition pleine d’esprit, gravée, et qu’il a répétée plus d’une fois. T. l .32, h. 26.”
REMARKS
The note in the sale catalogue that several copies of this composition were known accords with the large number of copies that have come down to us, but none can be traced as far back as 1829.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 7)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on canvas
27 x 33 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Le Bal masqué
PROVENANCE
Paris, Hôtel Drouot, April 10, 1922, lot 116: “WATTEAU (Atelier d’Antoine) . . . Le Bal masqué. Toile. Haut., 27 cent.; 33 cent. Ce même sujet a été gravé par THOMASSIN, d’après WATTEAU. Cadre en bois sculpté et doré de l’époque de Louis XV. (Voir la Reproduction.) The painting sold for 3,100 francs.
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ferré, Watteau (1972), under cat. B30.
Washington, Paris, Berlin, Watteau 1684-1721 (1984) under cat P19.
REMARKS
Despite the claims in 1921 and 1922 that this was executed by someone in Watteau’s studio, the painting is merely an anonymous copy of uncertain date and was based on Thomassin’s engraving after the original painting.
Ferré suggested that the painting sold at Drouot in 1922 might be the same as the in the Brunet-Denon collection (our copy 4). However the 1922 painting was on canvas whereas the Brunet-Denon painting was reported as being on panel.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 8)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on canvas
23.5 x 27.5 cm
PROVENANCE
France, Private collection
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
Washington, Paris, Berlin, Watteau 1684-1721 (1984) under cat P19.
REMARKS
As its reversed direction reveals, this painting was based on the Thomassin engraving after Watteau’s composition.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 9)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on canvas
47 x 66.5 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Les Coquettes
PROVENANCE
London, sale, Christie’s South Kensington, July 12, 2002, lot 153: “AFTER JEAN ANTOINE WATTEAU / Les Coquettes / oil on canvas / 18 ½ x 26 ¼ in. (42 x 66.5 cm.) Estimate £2,000 – 3,000 $3,000-4,000 € 3,200-4,300 / After the picture, in reverse, in the Hermitage, St. Petersburg.” The picture was bought in.
REMARKS
As is revealed by its reversed direction, this copy was made from Thomassin’s engraving. It is an unusually large repetition of the composition.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 10)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on copper
21.5 x 26 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Karnevalszene
PROVENANCE
Bern, Switzerland, sale, Auktionshaus Stuker, May 15, 1998, lot 1503: After Jean Antoine Watteau, Karnevalszene, Oil on copper, Height 8.5 in.; Width 10.2 in. / Height 21.5 cm.; Width 26 cm. est. 6,400 - 7,000 CHF (6,386 – 6,985 USD) Bought in.
REMARKS
As can be seen by its reversed direction, the painting was based upon the Thomassin engraving.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 11)
Entered January 2019
Private collection, Champagne region, France,
Medium unknown
Measurements unknown
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
Washington, Paris, Berlin, Watteau 1684-1721 (1984) under cat P19.
REMARKS
This painting is known only by a photo seen by Pierre Rosenberg in the Service de documentation, Départment des peintures, Musée du Louvre, Paris.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 12)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Medium unknown
Measurements unknown
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
A Group of Five Masquerade Figures
PROVENANCE
Collection of M. De Lattre
London, sale, Christie’s, February 25, 1893, lot 47: “WATTEAU. . . . A GROUP OF FIVE MASQUERADE FIGURES / Engraved / From the Collection of M. De Lattre.” Sold for £39.18 to Watts according to an annotated copy of the sale catalogue in the National Art Library, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
REMARKS
Although the painting was not specifically named, the fact that it had just five figures and that it was engraved strongly suggests that it was a copy after Coquettes qui pour voir.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 13)
Entered January 2019; revised May 2021
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on canvas
30 x 37 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Au Balcon
PROVENANCE
Montpellier, sale, Commissaires Priseurs de Montpellier, December 16, 1995, “Ecole de WATTEAU, Au balcon. 30 x 37 cm.”
REMARKS
Although copied from Thomassin’s engraving, the original composition was compressed into a spaceless oval.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 14)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Medium unknown
25 x 35 cm
REMARKS
This work is known through an unannotated photograph in the archives of the Getty Research Institute. Nothing is known about its provenance or attribution. As can be seen by its reversed direction, the painting was based upon the Thomassin engraving.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 15)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on canvas
160 x 90 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Galante Gesellschaft im Park
PROVENANCE
Bamberg, Kunstauktionshaus Schlosser, November 28, 2015, lot 682: “Mercier, Philippe -zugeschr. Galante Gesellschaft im Park . . . Unter einem mit Draperie geschmüctkem Baum vor einer Brüstung stehende Grüppe mit einer junge dame im Zentrum, umgeben von Herren und einem Mohrenknaben als Diener, wohl Schauspieler der Commedia dell’arte. Öl/Lwd. doub. 160 x 90 cm, in schönen Rokokoschnitzrahmen – Lit. Thieme/Becker 24. € 10,000.”
REMARKS
This large decorative canvas is just that—a decorative canvas. Although it was presented as a work by Philippe Mercier, that is a frequently employed failsafe for otherwise anonymous copies after Watteau. As can be seen by its reversal of direction, the painting was based upon the Thomassin engraving. The actor at the left was extended lengthwise and a grassy knoll was squeezed into the corner to justify the additional height of the composition, and the background was augmented with an elaborate swag of drapery and a tree—the sorts of flourishes that a decorative artist might add to enrich the work. This copy is not necessarily from Watteau’s era and is probably not French.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 16)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Medium unknown
61 x 74.5 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Le Retour du bal
PROVENANCE
New York, sale, Sotheby Parke Bernet, December 3, 1974, lot 116: “AFTER ANTOINE WATTEAU . . . LE RETOUR DU BAL / 24 x 29¼ inches / 61 x 74.5 cm.” Although estimated at $500/700, it sold for only $250 to American Art Gallery Ltd., according to an annotated sale catalogue at the Frick Art Reference Library, New York.
New York, with American Art Gallery, Ltd.
REMARKS
The low price that this painting sold for at the 1974 auction does not augur well for its quality.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 17)
Entered January 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Medium unknown
Measurements unknown
PROVENANCE
London, collection of L. Morant in 1933, according to an annotated photograph in the Witt Library, London.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Washington, Paris, Berlin, Watteau 1684-1721 (1984), under cat P19.
REMARKS
The photograph of this painting on file at the Witt Library bears a notation claiming that it was Watteau’s sketch for a version of Coquettes qui pour voir that was sold in Paris in 1922 (our copy 7). The cataloguer was apparently unaware that Watteau’s original painting was in the Hermitage. In any event, this mediocre rendering was not a sketch by the artist for his painting but, more probably, a copy after Francesco Bartolozzi’s 1785 engraving, A Favourite Sultana, which in turn copied just the actress seen at the side of Coquettes qui pour voir.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 18)
Entered February 2019
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on canvas, pasted on canvas
44.5 x 55.5 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Acteurs de la Comédie Français
PROVENANCE
Brussels, Belgium, sale, Vanderkindere Auctioneer, February 19, 2019, lot 115: “WATTEAU Antoine. Atelier de. Huile sur toile marouflée sur toile 'Acteurs de la Comédie Française'. Portant sur l'entablement une trace de signature Watteau. Atelier d'Antoine Watteau (?). Ecole française. Epoque XVIIIème. Dim.:44,5x55,5cm." Estimation : 700 € - 1.000 €.
REMARKS
The attribution of this noticeably large copy to the eighteenth century is an optimistic assessment.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 19)
Entered June 2019
Dôle, Musée des beaux-arts, inv. CH 397
Oil on canvas
61 x 131 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
La Comédie italienne
Personnages
PROVENANCE
Dôle, collection of Eugène Chalon (1829-1911; magistrate); bequeathed to the museum in 1911.
REMARKS
This is a very poor-quality copy of the engraving after Watteau’s composition. Although it has retained some aspects of Watteau’s compression of the figures into a compact space, it’s addition of swaths of drapery, especially at the right side, work to the opposite effect.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 20)
Entered April 2020
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on canvas
23.6 x 31.7 cm
PROVENANCE
Paris, collection of Richard de Ledan (Lieutenant-colonel of the Infantry, Chevalier de l’ordre royal et militaire de Saint Louis). His sale, Paris, Hôtel des fermes, December 3-18, 1816, lot 510: “Cassandre, Colombine, Mezzetin, jeune Fille et petit Nègre: Sujet de demi-figures, d’après Watteau. Haut. 8 p. 8 l., Larg. 11 p. 8 l. T.”
REMARKS
The description of the painting makes it clear that it copies Watteau’s Coquettes qui pour voir. Its size and support (canvas) allow that it might have been one of the paintings we have already catalogued, copies 6, 7, 8, 11, 12. Or it might be another, new copy of this popular composition.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 21)
Entered November 2020
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on panel
22.9 x 29.2 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Cinq figures comiques
PROVENANCE
Amsterdam and Wilyrck, collection of Pierre François Gisbert de Schorel, seigneur de Wilryck (1716-1773; mayor of Antwerp). His sale, Antwerp, June 7ff, 1774, lot 160: “J.C. D’HEUR . . . UN Tableau représentant cinq Figures Comiques d’après Watteau: ce sont deux hommes, deux femmes, & un more. Il y a de la couleur & de la finesse dans cette copie. 9 po. de haut sur 11½ de large. B” Sold for 24 livres.
REMARKS
The enumeration of the five figures (two men, two women, one black man) establish that the composition in question was Watteau’s Coquettes qui pour voir. De Heusch must have been relying on Thomassin’s engraving after the painting, just as the following four lots were copies after the engravings of Lancret’s Quatre Parties du Jour.
Its measurements and its panel support allow that this picture could be our copies 1, 2, or 3.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 22)
Entered November 2021
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on copper
23.5 x 23 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Die Schauspieler der Comédie Francais
PROVENANCE
Frankfurt, sale, Auktionshaus Arnold, November 20, 2021, lot 459: “Unbekannter Künstler, Kopie nach Jean Antoine Watteau, ‘Die Schauspieler der Comédie Francais’, Öl / Kupfer, 23,5 x 23 cm, Farbfehlsten.” Sold for € 600.
REMARKS
Converting Watteau’s horizontal composition into an almost square format, with too much empty space at the top, was not an improvement on the original design. The reversal of the composition indicates that it was copied from Thomassin’s engraving and not Watteau’s original canvas.
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Coquettes qui pour voir (copy 23)
Entered November 2023
Whereabouts unknown
Oil on panel
29 x 23.4 cm
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Masquerade
PROVENANCE
Nazareth, Belgium, sale, Corona Auctions, November 30, 2023, lot 1005: French School, follower of Jean Antoine Watteau . . . Masquerade, oil on panel, 19th C. 29 x 23.4 cm. The original work, dated 1717, nowadays part of Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia. Est. €400 EUR - €800 EUR.
REMARKS
As indicated by its left-right orientation, this picture copies not Watteau’s original composition but, rather, Thomassin’s engraving.
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