Coinciding with the Fine Arts Paris fair, Christie’s will present a selection of Old Master and 19th century drawings from our upcoming sales in London, Paris and New York, from 5–8 November at our Avenue Matignon galleries.
Among the works on view is a selection of French and Italian drawings from the Rugby School collection. The main part of this drawings collection was given to the school around 1880 by Matthew Holbeche Bloxam (1805-1888), nephew of the great painter and collector Sir Thomas Lawrence, himself a distinguished antiquarian and Rugbeian. The entire collection will be offered on 4 December 2018 in London during the sale, Old Masters/ New Scholars: Works of Art to Benefit Rugby School.
From Old Master & British Drawings in New York, to be held on 31 January 2019, we will feature a rare and unpublished drawing by Primaticcio during this tour. The drawing is a study for the Galerie d’Ulysse ceiling in the Château of Fontainebleau, depicting Polymnestor killing Polydorus.
Finally, we will showcase highlights from our March 2019 Old Master and 19th Century Drawings auction in Paris, including a selection of French drawings: a large View of Calais by Adam Frans van der Meulen, A study of woman signed by Charles-Joseph Natoire, Nicolas-Bernard Lépicié’s A male academy and A Reclining man by Charles de La Fosse.
Francesco Primaticcio (1504-1570), Polymnestor killing Polydorus. Black and red chalk, pen and brown ink, brown wash heightened with white. Estimate: $100,000-150,000. To be offered in the Old Masters & British Drawings sale, New York, 31 January 2019.