拍品專文
These three drawings are studies for the artist's most celebrated painting, The Horse Fair, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
In the summer of 1850, Bonheur returned to Paris from the Pyranees, where she had been travelling with her lifelong companion Nathalie Micas. Shortly after this, she started preparations for her great work 'The Horse Fair'. Over the next two years, Bonheur was frequently to be seen sketching at both The Horse Market and the Paris Omnibus Company. Often dressed as a man, so as not to draw attention to herself, she was able to work uninterrupted on her studies of the Parisian work-horses.
These three drawings can be seen to correspond exactly with passages in her final work, which was exhibited at the Salon of 1853. The painting was received with great acclaim, Delacroix himself expressing his admiration for the work in his journal. Later in 1853, the painting travelled to Ghent and was exhibited at Bordeaux the following year. Having been bought by the London dealer Ernest Gambart, the Horse Fair was shown in several English cities before moving to America where its fame increased further. Not only was the painting often reproduced, but even some of the preparatory sketches were lithographed. In subsequent years, Bonheur was to return more than once to the same theme.
In the summer of 1850, Bonheur returned to Paris from the Pyranees, where she had been travelling with her lifelong companion Nathalie Micas. Shortly after this, she started preparations for her great work 'The Horse Fair'. Over the next two years, Bonheur was frequently to be seen sketching at both The Horse Market and the Paris Omnibus Company. Often dressed as a man, so as not to draw attention to herself, she was able to work uninterrupted on her studies of the Parisian work-horses.
These three drawings can be seen to correspond exactly with passages in her final work, which was exhibited at the Salon of 1853. The painting was received with great acclaim, Delacroix himself expressing his admiration for the work in his journal. Later in 1853, the painting travelled to Ghent and was exhibited at Bordeaux the following year. Having been bought by the London dealer Ernest Gambart, the Horse Fair was shown in several English cities before moving to America where its fame increased further. Not only was the painting often reproduced, but even some of the preparatory sketches were lithographed. In subsequent years, Bonheur was to return more than once to the same theme.