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Lot Essay
Contrairement à la plupart des artistes de la fin du XVIIIe siècle, dont l’exercice académique les occupe uniquement pendant leur formation de jeunesse, Prud’hon réalise des académies dessinées tout au long de sa carrière. Jean Guiffrey, auteur du catalogue raisonné de l'artiste paru en 1924, en répertorie plus de cent trente (op. cit., 1924, n° 1112 à 1245). Les séances de poses se déroulaient généralement chez son ami le peintre Pierre-Félix Trézel (1782-1855) où il travaillait aux côtés d’autres jeunes artistes. Grâce à son expérience, Prud’hon assurait ‘la direction’ du modèle, c’est-à-dire ‘le soin de lui donner l’attitude dans laquelle on le dessinerait, qui requérait expérience et goût’ (S. Laveissière, Prud'hon ou le rêve du bonheur, cat. exp., Paris, galeries nationales du Grand Palais, et New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1997-1998, p. 256).
La pose du présent modèle féminin, assise de profil, avec le bras gauche levé cachant partiellement son visage est comparable à une autre académie conservée au Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. 1972.118.226 ; ibid., n° 187).
Que ce soit dans la technique utilisée, la manière de poser la lumière et de traiter les ombres ainsi que le travail plus esquissé des extrémités (mains et pieds) de la présente académie est un exemple tout à fait typique de ce ‘prince du papier bleu’ (L.-A. Prat, Le Dessin français au XIXe siècle, Paris, 2011, p. 111).
‘L’art de Prud’hon dessinateur est à son apogée dans ces feuilles à la fois magistrales et séduisantes, sensuelles comme aucune autre en son temps, et au-delà’ conclura Sylvain Laveissière dans son chapitre sur les académies dessinées lors de l’exposition de 1997 (op. cit., p. 256).
Unlike the majority of artists during the end of the 18th Century, for whom figure drawing was mainly part of their technical training as a student, Prud’hon practiced figure drawing throughout his career. More than one hundred and thirty of these types of studies are included in the artist’s catalogue raisonné compiled by Jean Guiffrey, published in 1924 (op. cit., n° 1112 à 1245). The modeling sessions took place primarily in the studio of his friend, the painter Pierre-Félix Trézel (1782-1855), where he worked alongside other young artists. With his extensive experience, Prud’hon began to direct the modeling sessions, meaning that he decided what poses the model would take, a task which required a deep understanding of drawing and the human figure (Laveissière, Prud'hon ou le rêve du bonheur, cat. exp., Paris, Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais, and New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1997-1998 p. 256).
The pose of the model in the current drawing, seated in profile, with the left arm raised and partially hiding her face is comparable to one in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. 1972.118.226 ; ibid., n°187).
Its technique, its masterful treatment of light and shadow, as well as the execution of the limbs, hands and feet, this drawing is a quintessential example of the work of Prud’hon, dubbed the 'prince of blue paper' (L.-A. Prat, Le Dessin français au XIXe siècle, Paris, 2011, p. 111).
Sylvain Laveissière, in his chapter of the 1997 exhibition catalogue dedicated to figure drawing stated that 'Prud'hon's draughtsmanship is at its height in these sheets which are at the same time masterful and seductive, as well as sensual to a degree unknown at his time and beyond' (op. cit., p. 256).
La pose du présent modèle féminin, assise de profil, avec le bras gauche levé cachant partiellement son visage est comparable à une autre académie conservée au Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. 1972.118.226 ; ibid., n° 187).
Que ce soit dans la technique utilisée, la manière de poser la lumière et de traiter les ombres ainsi que le travail plus esquissé des extrémités (mains et pieds) de la présente académie est un exemple tout à fait typique de ce ‘prince du papier bleu’ (L.-A. Prat, Le Dessin français au XIXe siècle, Paris, 2011, p. 111).
‘L’art de Prud’hon dessinateur est à son apogée dans ces feuilles à la fois magistrales et séduisantes, sensuelles comme aucune autre en son temps, et au-delà’ conclura Sylvain Laveissière dans son chapitre sur les académies dessinées lors de l’exposition de 1997 (op. cit., p. 256).
Unlike the majority of artists during the end of the 18th Century, for whom figure drawing was mainly part of their technical training as a student, Prud’hon practiced figure drawing throughout his career. More than one hundred and thirty of these types of studies are included in the artist’s catalogue raisonné compiled by Jean Guiffrey, published in 1924 (op. cit., n° 1112 à 1245). The modeling sessions took place primarily in the studio of his friend, the painter Pierre-Félix Trézel (1782-1855), where he worked alongside other young artists. With his extensive experience, Prud’hon began to direct the modeling sessions, meaning that he decided what poses the model would take, a task which required a deep understanding of drawing and the human figure (Laveissière, Prud'hon ou le rêve du bonheur, cat. exp., Paris, Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais, and New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1997-1998 p. 256).
The pose of the model in the current drawing, seated in profile, with the left arm raised and partially hiding her face is comparable to one in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. 1972.118.226 ; ibid., n°187).
Its technique, its masterful treatment of light and shadow, as well as the execution of the limbs, hands and feet, this drawing is a quintessential example of the work of Prud’hon, dubbed the 'prince of blue paper' (L.-A. Prat, Le Dessin français au XIXe siècle, Paris, 2011, p. 111).
Sylvain Laveissière, in his chapter of the 1997 exhibition catalogue dedicated to figure drawing stated that 'Prud'hon's draughtsmanship is at its height in these sheets which are at the same time masterful and seductive, as well as sensual to a degree unknown at his time and beyond' (op. cit., p. 256).