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Lot Essay
The present work is a rare drawing executed in pen and ink on stone paper or lithographic carton, which is a coated paper used as matrix (or printing surface) to print lithographs. The work dates to Géricault's time in London where he moved around 1820-1821 and was used by the artist to print the lithograph The sleeping fishmonger (Fig. 1). The drawing belongs among the artist’s few experiments with this technique of lithography in which he used prepared carton instead of traditional limestone. The method was of interest to Géricault as he was traveling to England since the support was less expensive and more easily transportable than stone. Unfortunately the stone paper is a very fragile support and did not allow the production of many prints, so for this reason Géricault quickly abandoned the technique after producing only a limited number of prints. Lithographs of The sleeping fishmonger are fairly rare (Bazin, op. cit., VII, no. 2191, ill.).
In the sale of the collection of François-Martial Marcille, that took place in Paris in March 1857, were listed seven different drawings executed on stone paper, including the present one (lots 110-116). Of the original group today only five, including the present one, can be located: Lion dévorant un cheval at the Harvard Art Museum (inv. 1960.98; Bazin, op. cit., VII, no. 2338A), La Jeune femme et les trois enfants in the Bibliothèque nationale de France (Cabinet des estampes et de la Photographie, inv. Dc 141b. (1); Bazin, op.cit., V, no. 1823A ), the Carriage horse ridden by a groom (P. Grunchec, Master Drawings by Gericault, exhib. cat., New York, The Pierpont Morgan Library, and elsewhere, 1985-1986, no. 84, ill.) and Carrosier monté par un cocher (Bazin, op. cit., VII, no. 2121A). For this series Géricault, probably influenced by his friend Nicolas-Toussain Chatelet, did not choose heroic historic themes, but simple scenes of ordinary English life portrayed with a touch of humor, like in the present composition. Several preparatory drawings in graphite for the compositions in the series survive, including one for the Sleeping Fishmonger (private collection; Bazin, op. cit., VII, no. 2192).
The attribution of the present work to Géricault was confirmed by Lorentz Eitner when the drawing was previously sold at Christie's in New York (22 May 1997, lot 14).
In the sale of the collection of François-Martial Marcille, that took place in Paris in March 1857, were listed seven different drawings executed on stone paper, including the present one (lots 110-116). Of the original group today only five, including the present one, can be located: Lion dévorant un cheval at the Harvard Art Museum (inv. 1960.98; Bazin, op. cit., VII, no. 2338A), La Jeune femme et les trois enfants in the Bibliothèque nationale de France (Cabinet des estampes et de la Photographie, inv. Dc 141b. (1); Bazin, op.cit., V, no. 1823A ), the Carriage horse ridden by a groom (P. Grunchec, Master Drawings by Gericault, exhib. cat., New York, The Pierpont Morgan Library, and elsewhere, 1985-1986, no. 84, ill.) and Carrosier monté par un cocher (Bazin, op. cit., VII, no. 2121A). For this series Géricault, probably influenced by his friend Nicolas-Toussain Chatelet, did not choose heroic historic themes, but simple scenes of ordinary English life portrayed with a touch of humor, like in the present composition. Several preparatory drawings in graphite for the compositions in the series survive, including one for the Sleeping Fishmonger (private collection; Bazin, op. cit., VII, no. 2192).
The attribution of the present work to Géricault was confirmed by Lorentz Eitner when the drawing was previously sold at Christie's in New York (22 May 1997, lot 14).