Related to the watercolour entitled The Poet and the Saint of 1868. The setting, according to Mathieu 'was inspired by that of Montegna's Circumcision, while the rapturous attitude of the kneeling poet is again a reminiscence of Chassériau, taken from his Apollo and Daphne.' P. L. Mathieu, Moreau, Oxford, 1977, p. 108 (illus. p. 106)

Piette Mathieu has confirmed the authenticity of this lot.