Lot Essay
According to Bordeaux (op. cit., p. 96) the present lot is the original version of this composition. Owned at one time by Guy Stein, this painting was offered to the Louvre, but rejected, in 1938. It was then sold to an untraceable Argentinian collector. Until now the painting was only known to Bordeaux through an old photograph. Annotated on the reverse of this photograph were the dimensions of the painting, 156 x 120cm. (taken from the Le Reynière sale catalogue) and a copy of the signature 'F. Lemoyne 1724'.
Bordeaux believes the present lot can be identified as the orginal. A signature (now somewhat abraded) and traces of a date can be found on the lower right corner. The 'Bathers' was executed in 1724 while the artist was in Rome and Venice.
Bordeaux also believes the Stein and the Le Reynière 'Bathers' are synonymous with the present lot. However, he notes (op. cit., p. 97) that there are discrepancies, which are difficult to explain, between the measurements of these pictures. However, Bordeaux also states, "Since Le Moyne often made one or two replicas of his most popular compositions, we may assume that he signed only the original" (ibid.).
Of the present version Pierre-Jean Mariette (1694-1774), the distinguished art dealer and drawings collector, wrote:
"Commencé à Rome et terminé a Venise....L'on voit bien
qu'il a secu profiter de la vue des ouvrages de Paul
Veronese et surtout de ceux du Parmesan, dont il tache
d'imiter les tons gracieux. Il en a copie plusieurs
dessins orginaux étant à Venise, qui sont tout a fait
dans le caractère des originaux."
The 18th century artist Donat Nonnotte states:
La Baigneuse de M. Lemoine étant presque finie, il la fit
voir au Ricci; celui-ci la loua beaucoup et, pressé
davantage de dire son sentiment, il trouva que le pied
droit de la femme qui entre dans le bain, portrait trop
sur côte au-dehors, et qu'il manquait de la simplicité du
mouvement naturel, qui devait le faire porter en avant.
Sur le champ Monsieur Lemoine corrigea et placa de pied
formant une ligne droite avec la jambe, laquelle ligne
etait selon toute apparence ce qu'il avait cru d'abord
devoir éviter"
An autograph replica of the present lot was exhibited at the Salon of 1725 and is now in the Hermitage, St. Petersburg (Bordeaux, fig. 45). Numerous copies are also known, including a painting in the Tours Museum (163 x 117cm., Inv. D 62-71), possibly a studio copy; the Cantini Museum, Marsielle (117 x 90cm., Inv. 1659); two identical enlarged versions (182 x 153cm.), one in the Boucher Perthes Museum, Abbeville (Bordeaux, fig. 44b) and the other formerly in the Cecil Singer Collection, New York; and a version previously with the London art trade, made after the original and possibly with a false signature (163.5 x 110cm.).
The original composition by Le Moyne was also engraved by L. Cars (Bordeaux, fig. 44a) in 1731, and was later reproduced in mezzotint by J. Johnson, by Lidel (Augsburg), and in color by Gauthier Dagoty in 1782. Such was the obvious popularity of the composition that it was reproduced, in reverse, on a variety of objects: a decorative panel of a Louis VI boiserie painted by Plumoer or J. L. Courret (City of Liège); a Sèvres porcelain vase of circa 1760 (Wallace Collection, London); and an enamel watch executed by E. Lenoir around 1740 (Louvre).
A preliminary drawing for the entire composition and a sanguine for the bust of the servant are in the Louvre (Bordeaux, figs. 191 and 192). Another drawing by Le Moyne, which may be the full study for this composition, listed as 'Femme au bain' was in the Calvière collection (his sale, May 5, 1779, no. 468)
Bordeaux believes the present lot can be identified as the orginal. A signature (now somewhat abraded) and traces of a date can be found on the lower right corner. The 'Bathers' was executed in 1724 while the artist was in Rome and Venice.
Bordeaux also believes the Stein and the Le Reynière 'Bathers' are synonymous with the present lot. However, he notes (op. cit., p. 97) that there are discrepancies, which are difficult to explain, between the measurements of these pictures. However, Bordeaux also states, "Since Le Moyne often made one or two replicas of his most popular compositions, we may assume that he signed only the original" (ibid.).
Of the present version Pierre-Jean Mariette (1694-1774), the distinguished art dealer and drawings collector, wrote:
"Commencé à Rome et terminé a Venise....L'on voit bien
qu'il a secu profiter de la vue des ouvrages de Paul
Veronese et surtout de ceux du Parmesan, dont il tache
d'imiter les tons gracieux. Il en a copie plusieurs
dessins orginaux étant à Venise, qui sont tout a fait
dans le caractère des originaux."
The 18th century artist Donat Nonnotte states:
La Baigneuse de M. Lemoine étant presque finie, il la fit
voir au Ricci; celui-ci la loua beaucoup et, pressé
davantage de dire son sentiment, il trouva que le pied
droit de la femme qui entre dans le bain, portrait trop
sur côte au-dehors, et qu'il manquait de la simplicité du
mouvement naturel, qui devait le faire porter en avant.
Sur le champ Monsieur Lemoine corrigea et placa de pied
formant une ligne droite avec la jambe, laquelle ligne
etait selon toute apparence ce qu'il avait cru d'abord
devoir éviter"
An autograph replica of the present lot was exhibited at the Salon of 1725 and is now in the Hermitage, St. Petersburg (Bordeaux, fig. 45). Numerous copies are also known, including a painting in the Tours Museum (163 x 117cm., Inv. D 62-71), possibly a studio copy; the Cantini Museum, Marsielle (117 x 90cm., Inv. 1659); two identical enlarged versions (182 x 153cm.), one in the Boucher Perthes Museum, Abbeville (Bordeaux, fig. 44b) and the other formerly in the Cecil Singer Collection, New York; and a version previously with the London art trade, made after the original and possibly with a false signature (163.5 x 110cm.).
The original composition by Le Moyne was also engraved by L. Cars (Bordeaux, fig. 44a) in 1731, and was later reproduced in mezzotint by J. Johnson, by Lidel (Augsburg), and in color by Gauthier Dagoty in 1782. Such was the obvious popularity of the composition that it was reproduced, in reverse, on a variety of objects: a decorative panel of a Louis VI boiserie painted by Plumoer or J. L. Courret (City of Liège); a Sèvres porcelain vase of circa 1760 (Wallace Collection, London); and an enamel watch executed by E. Lenoir around 1740 (Louvre).
A preliminary drawing for the entire composition and a sanguine for the bust of the servant are in the Louvre (Bordeaux, figs. 191 and 192). Another drawing by Le Moyne, which may be the full study for this composition, listed as 'Femme au bain' was in the Calvière collection (his sale, May 5, 1779, no. 468)