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Lot Essay
There are at least two other drawings of the same subject, both executed in pen and brown ink, brown wash on paper washed pink (Artcurial, Paris, 19 Decemberv 2006 lot 11 and Sotheby's, New York, 23 January 2008, lot 202). However neither of these nor the present work appear to be for a painting or a print. Alastair Laing dates the drawings of the later 1750's or early 1760's.
In the 18th Century this drawing was in the two most remarkable collections ever formed of drawings by Boucher. It is first documented in the 'cabinet' of the rich former Receveur général des finances Paul Randon de Boisset (1709-1776) who was also a friend of the artist and made a trip with him to Flanders in 1766. His 1777 sale included eighteen paintings and more than ninety drawings by Boucher (including two other drawings showing Diana at the bath). At that sale the present Diana and Callisto was purchased by Jean-Claude Gaspard de Sireul (circa 1710/20-1781), the other great collector of Boucher's drawings who also had contributed the obituary of Randon de Boisset to the latter's sale catalogue. The introduction to Sireul's 1781 posthumous sale said: 'Perfect conformity of tastes and knowledge had established a close bond between [M. Boucher and M. de Sireul]. The Studio of the Painter was the Museum of the Connoisseur, and it was there that M. de Sireul spent hours on end, watching the canvas spring to life under the happy touch of the Artist. [...] Death [...] removed M. Boucher from Painting, of which he was the Anacreon, and from friends, of whom he was the idol. M. de Sireul was more affected by his loss than anyone, and from that time on, had no other occupation than to give the most constant proofs of his admiration for the works of the celebrated Friend that he had lost. He was to be seen coveting, seizing with ardor, everything that could recall this for him. [...] Today, one could call his Collection, the portfolio of M. Boucher.' Sireul's sale contained fifteen paintings by Boucher, four pastels by him and more than two hundred drawings.
We thank Alastair Laing for confirming the attribution of this drawing from a digital photograph and for his help in cataloguing it.
In the 18th Century this drawing was in the two most remarkable collections ever formed of drawings by Boucher. It is first documented in the 'cabinet' of the rich former Receveur général des finances Paul Randon de Boisset (1709-1776) who was also a friend of the artist and made a trip with him to Flanders in 1766. His 1777 sale included eighteen paintings and more than ninety drawings by Boucher (including two other drawings showing Diana at the bath). At that sale the present Diana and Callisto was purchased by Jean-Claude Gaspard de Sireul (circa 1710/20-1781), the other great collector of Boucher's drawings who also had contributed the obituary of Randon de Boisset to the latter's sale catalogue. The introduction to Sireul's 1781 posthumous sale said: 'Perfect conformity of tastes and knowledge had established a close bond between [M. Boucher and M. de Sireul]. The Studio of the Painter was the Museum of the Connoisseur, and it was there that M. de Sireul spent hours on end, watching the canvas spring to life under the happy touch of the Artist. [...] Death [...] removed M. Boucher from Painting, of which he was the Anacreon, and from friends, of whom he was the idol. M. de Sireul was more affected by his loss than anyone, and from that time on, had no other occupation than to give the most constant proofs of his admiration for the works of the celebrated Friend that he had lost. He was to be seen coveting, seizing with ardor, everything that could recall this for him. [...] Today, one could call his Collection, the portfolio of M. Boucher.' Sireul's sale contained fifteen paintings by Boucher, four pastels by him and more than two hundred drawings.
We thank Alastair Laing for confirming the attribution of this drawing from a digital photograph and for his help in cataloguing it.