Traditionally considered as the pendant to the previous lot, the present picture may be a preparatory study for the picture in the Alte Pinakothek, Munich (Inv. no. 39). The Munich picture is signed and dated 1774, and considered to have been executed while Le Prince was in Poland (engraved by J. Wölffke in 1837). Having been given to Fragonard by Mayer (1928) and Réau (1935), the picture was re-attributed to Le Prince by Jean-Pierre Cuzin in 1987, Cuzin states of the former attribution to Fragonard: 'La liberté de touche de certains toiles de Le Prince explique qu'on ait pu les attribuer à Fragonard' (loc. cit.).

We are grateful to Mrs. Mary-Elizabeth Hellyer for her assistance in the cataloguing of this lot.

In a French Regency carved and gilded frame.