FRANÇOIS-LOUIS-JOSEPH WATTEAU DE LILLE (Valenciennes,... Lot n° 8

LE LECTEUR ET LE JOUEUR DE VIELLE, two drawings forming a pair Lille, late 18th - early 19th century Charcoal and white chalk drawing on grey-beige laid paper 44 x 31 cm each Pair of Louis XVI period frames : 60 x 47 cm (visible by QR Code) Provenance Sale Me Renoud-Grappin, Besançon, 10 February 2008 Private collection, Paris, since 2008 Coming from the dynasty of artists led by Antoine Watteau (1684-1721), the painter of the "Fêtes galantes", François Watteau de Lille is known for the extent of his graphic OEuvre. Our drawings illustrate his technical mastery of the white chalk highlights that illuminate the faces and costumes of his characters. Professor of drawing in Lille, he sketched his contemporaries to great effect. Here, it is a hurdy-gurdy player who, sitting on his barrel, contemplates his damaged instrument with a desolate look. On the other page, seen in profile, it is a man absorbed in the reading of his book, uncomfortable on his too narrow chair. Additional information given by the collector is accessible by QR Code in the PDF.