Lot Essay
Son of the painter Martin Drolling (1752-1817), Michel-Martin Drolling studied with his father before entering Jacques-Louis David's studio, where he is recorded in 1806. He was awarded the Prix de Rome in 1810 for La Colre d'Achille (Paris, Ecole des Beaux-Arts) and went to study in Italy at the Villa Medici where he remained for five years. After his return to Paris in 1816 he launched a successful career as a history painter and decorator. He executed two ceilings for the Louvre in 1826 and 1827, and was much sought after as a portrait painter.