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Lot Essay
Jean-Baptiste Hilaire was part of the first expedition to Greece led by the young Count Choiseul-Gouffier (1752-1817) in 1776, alongside Louis-François Cassas (1756-1827). Starting off their journey from Toulon, they travelled from island to island in Greece and part of Asia Minor on the Atalante. Following this trip, Choiseul was to publish one of the most important works of travel literature, which came out in two volumes, between 1782 and 1824, the Voyage Pittoresque en Grèce, where each engraving was accompanied by a 'very rich and lively commentary written by Choiseul' (Le Voyage en Grèce du comte de Choiseul-Gouffier, exhib. cat. Avignon, musée Calvet, 2007, p. 12). While the present drawing is not directly preparatory to one of the illustrations in this book, the watercolour was certainly produced in this context, during the visit to the island of Evia.
Negroponte is the old name of the island of Euboea, or in modern Greek, Evvia, the largest Greek island after Crete. In 1366, the Venetians were in control of almost the whole of Eboea and it was they who gave it the name of the island Negroponte (Black bridge), referring to the bridge over the Euripos. When the Venetians were expelled from Constantinople by the Genoese, Negroponte became their centre.
Negroponte is the old name of the island of Euboea, or in modern Greek, Evvia, the largest Greek island after Crete. In 1366, the Venetians were in control of almost the whole of Eboea and it was they who gave it the name of the island Negroponte (Black bridge), referring to the bridge over the Euripos. When the Venetians were expelled from Constantinople by the Genoese, Negroponte became their centre.