Lot Essay
Born in Avignon into a family of notable artistic merit, Etienne Parrocel was a pupil of his uncle, Pierre, travelling with him to Rome in 1717. Once there he changed his name, italianizing it to Stefano, and gained commissions in the churches of Santa Maria à Monticelli (1726) and San Gregorio de Quattro Capi (1727). In 1730 he painted an Apparition of the Virgin to Saint Philippo Neri which is now in the Art Institute of Detroit. In 1734 he was accepted into the Academia di San Luca. He was frequently commissioned to work for the religious institutions in Rome and in 1739 began important commissions in the Cupola of Santa Prassede, and in the church of the Jesuits of Marseille.
The present lot can be compared to a work depicting the philosopher Heraclitus, offered at Christie's, Monaco, June 19, 1994, lot 42. It shows close stylistic affinities with the series of Evangelists painted by Parrocel in Rome in 1720 which were later owned by Marguerite Gérard. He continued to execute presentation drawings of heads of Apostles and Saints into the 1740s, a popular practice in Rome among the followers of Carlo Maratta (see, for example, Christie's, Monaco, July 2, 1993, lots 66-7, dated 1742 and 1744 respectively).
The present lot can be compared to a work depicting the philosopher Heraclitus, offered at Christie's, Monaco, June 19, 1994, lot 42. It shows close stylistic affinities with the series of Evangelists painted by Parrocel in Rome in 1720 which were later owned by Marguerite Gérard. He continued to execute presentation drawings of heads of Apostles and Saints into the 1740s, a popular practice in Rome among the followers of Carlo Maratta (see, for example, Christie's, Monaco, July 2, 1993, lots 66-7, dated 1742 and 1744 respectively).