Lot Essay
Over the 18th and 19th centuries, several models were made of famous French playwrights, dramatists, and poets. The differences in the casts of these historical figures and their similar characteristics made it difficult over time to identify the subjects with certainty. The present figures appear to be Jean Racine (1639-1699), French dramatist and depicted in his characteristic wig, and Pierre Corneille (1606-1684) with his calotte cap.