Johann Ludwig Wernhard Faesch, called Jean-Louis Faesch (Basel circa 1738-1778 Paris)

Portraits of actors in theatrical roles at the Comédie Française: Hector and Valère in Le Joueur by Regnard; and Mademoiselle Dumesnil as Athalie in Athalie by Racine

Details

Johann Ludwig Wernhard Faesch, called Jean-Louis Faesch (Basel circa 1738-1778 Paris)
Portraits of actors in theatrical roles at the Comédie Française: Hector and Valère in Le Joueur by Regnard; and Mademoiselle Dumesnil as Athalie in Athalie by Racine
inscribed 'HECTOR VALERE./ dans le Joueur' and 'ATHALIE' and 'Theatre Français/ [M]ad lle Dumesnil/ 1768' (on a piece of paper attached to the backing board)
bodycolour and gum Arabic, heightened with gold (ii) on vellum
3 7/8 x 4 5/8 in. (9.6 x 11.6 cm.); and 4 x 3 ½ in. (10.3 x 8.8 cm.)
(2)

Provenance

with Agnew's, London, 1974 (with their labels and inventory numbers '39349' and '39351'); where acquired by the present owner.

Lot Essay

Faesch specialized in portrait drawings of famous actors and his oeuvre is an important record of the French theatre in the 18th Century. The first drawing shows Hector and Valère, both characters in the comedy Le Joueur, written by Jean-François Regnard in 1696. The second drawing shows Miss Dumesnil (1713-1803) as Athalie in the eponymous play by Jean Racine, written in 1691, generally considered one of the greatest tragedies of the 17th Century.

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