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Lot Essay
Jacques-Nicolas Juillard (d. 1790), who studied under François Boucher, succeeded Jean-Joseph Dumons in 1755 as peintre des manufactures d'Aubusson et de Felletin. His contract specified that he was to supply the workshops with a set of six designs for tapestries annually. Surprisingly, however, none of his designs for Gobelins, Beauvais or Aubusson have as yet been categorically identified, although it is known that he supplied at least thirteen series between 1755 and 1782 and continued to design tapestries until 1789.
There is mention in the early 1780s of a tapestry cartoon depicting the Harlequin having been lent to the Bureau de la jurande by the weavers Grellet and Roby suggesting that the present subject was designed by Juillard. A further panel of this subject, albeit more narrow was sold from the collection of Thirio, Paris, 29 May 1914, lot 60, and another apparently signed by the weaver Boujasson, sold anonymously, Palais Galliera, Paris, 7 December 1971, lot 132.
(P.-F. Bertrand, Aubusson Tapisseries des Lumieres, 2013, pp. 194-195)
There is mention in the early 1780s of a tapestry cartoon depicting the Harlequin having been lent to the Bureau de la jurande by the weavers Grellet and Roby suggesting that the present subject was designed by Juillard. A further panel of this subject, albeit more narrow was sold from the collection of Thirio, Paris, 29 May 1914, lot 60, and another apparently signed by the weaver Boujasson, sold anonymously, Palais Galliera, Paris, 7 December 1971, lot 132.
(P.-F. Bertrand, Aubusson Tapisseries des Lumieres, 2013, pp. 194-195)