X. L’Amour se dérobant à la correction de Vénus

Entered September 2014

 

Presumed lost

Oil on copper

15.2 x 21.6 cm

 

PROVENANCE

Paris, collection of Armand Fréderic Ernest de Nogaret (1734-1806, treasurer to the comte d’Artois). His sale, March 18ff, 1782, lot 94: PAR LE MÊME  [ANTOINE  WATTEAU] . . . L’Amour se dérobant à la correction de Vénus; elle tient encore de la main droite une branche de rosier. Ce charmant Tableau est d’une couleur fine & piquant. Hauteur 6 pouces, largeur 8 pouces 6 lignes. C.” Sold for 600 livres to Lebrun according to an annotated copy of the catalogue in the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie. Adhémar, followed by Macchia and Montagni, wrongly recorded the selling price as 1,600 livres. 

Paris, collection of Joseph Hyacinthe Francois de Paule de Rigaud, comte de Vaudreuil 1740-1817). His sale (as collection Mxxx), Paris, November 26 ff, 1787, lot 61: Antoine Watteau . . . L’Amour se dérobant à la correction de Vénus, qui tient de la main droite une branche de rosier. Ce charmant Tableau est d’une couleur fine & piquante. Hauteur 6 pouces, largeur 8 pouces 6 l. C. Il vient de la vente de M. de Nogaret, no 94 de notre Catalogue.” Sold to Lebrun for 370 livres according to an annotated copy of the catalogue in the Frick Art Reference Library. Adhémar, followed by Macchia and Montagni, wrongly cite this sale as having occurred in 1786.

Paris, collection of Laurent Grimod de La Reynière (1733-93, financier and fermier géneral). His sale, Paris, November 1792, lot 49. “Antoine Watteau . . . L’Amour se dérobant à la correcion de Vénus, qui tient de la main droite une branche de rosier. Ce charmant tableau est d’une couleur fine et piquante. Haut. 6 p. larg. 8 pouc. 6 lig. C. Il fut vendu à la vente de M. de Vaudreuil, sous le No  61.” Sold to Lebrun for 200 livres according to an annotated copy of the catalogue in the Frick Art Reference Library.

 

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Réau, “Watteau” (1928), cat. 13.

Adhémar, Watteau (1950), cat. 178.

Macchia and Montagni, L’opera completa di Watteau (1968), cat. 6A.

 

REMARKS

Despite the tempting references in these three closely-timed sales between 1782 and 1792, we know little about this painting. It was not engraved nor are any copies known. With so little visual evidence, it is understandable that few Watteau scholars have paid the picture any heed. Given its provenance from Nogaret and Vaudreuil (both of whom had impressive collections including other paintings by Watteau) and, as well, the stamp of approval from Lebrun (who may have been involved all along in these sales), there might seem to be reason to believe it was an autograph work. Also, its small size and use of a copper support increases the likelihood of its attribution. Yet, as always, one must also remain cautious since in the three successive sales of 1782, 1787, and 1792, its selling price went consistently lower, from 600 to 370 to, finally, 200 livres. There may have been more here than meets the eye.