Lot Essay
Poërson, originally from Lorraine, studied painting with Vouet. In 1651 he entered the Académie of which, seven years later, he became recteur. A number of paintings by him have been discovered in the past few years. His best known work is Saint Peter preaching in Jerusalem, painted for Notre-Dame in 1642, a sketch for which is in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
The present drawing is comparable with the few black chalk drawings attributed to the artist. Characteristics such as the flat end of the fingers, the index finger which is separated from the rest of the fingers, and the manner of drawing, particularly the chalk accents and the application of white heightening, are similar to those of two drawings in the Albertina published by B. Brejon Lavergnée, New Attributions around Simon Vouet, Master Drawings, 1985-6, 3, pp. 347-351, pls. 5-6
The present drawing is comparable with the few black chalk drawings attributed to the artist. Characteristics such as the flat end of the fingers, the index finger which is separated from the rest of the fingers, and the manner of drawing, particularly the chalk accents and the application of white heightening, are similar to those of two drawings in the Albertina published by B. Brejon Lavergnée, New Attributions around Simon Vouet, Master Drawings, 1985-6, 3, pp. 347-351, pls. 5-6