22/3/23 - Art market - Paris - Sotheby’s is offering an exceptional set of six works by Théodore Géricault for sale on 23 March. They have remained in the same family to this day, held by the descendants of Adam Elmore, who hosted the painter when he stayed in London in 1820 and 1821. Elmore was a well-known horse dealer, and through him Géricault was able to perfect his skills in studying animals from life. Géricault painted several pictures for him, including the famous Epsom Derby, and depicted him and his wife.
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- 1. Théodore Géricault (1791-1824)
Portrait of Zoë Elmore
Oil on canvas - 65.5 x 55 cm
Sale Sotheby’s Paris, 23 March 2023
Photo : Sotheby’s - See the image in its page
Zoë Elmore, daughter of Armand Séguin, chemist, industrialist and businessman, who came to London after her marriage, thus posed for the painter (ill. 1). Her portrait, now on sale, is exceptional not only because it had never been exhibited before, but also because portraits of women are rare in the painter’s oeuvre. "I begin a woman and it becomes a lion! [1]" he is said to have noted.
For this work, Géricault was undoubtedly influenced by the English portrait painters. But he also remembered his compatriots: the model’s attitude is close to those adopted by the empress Josephine and Juliette Récamier, painted by Baron Gérard. The workmanship, however, is more Romantic. Another rare portrait of a woman by Géricault is comparable to this one, that of Laure Bro, dressed in the same fashion and posing in a similar manner.
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- 2. Théodore Géricault (1791-1824)
Portrait of Adam Elmore
Oil on canvas - 51.2 x 342 cm
Sale Sotheby’s Paris, 23 March 2023
Photo: Sotheby’s - See the image in its page
As for Adam Elmore, he is standing in front of the sea, turning his back to the clouds and directing his gaze towards the brightening horizon. The point of view da sotto in su reinforces his stature. There is no reference to his profession in this portrait, which is again of romantic inspiration, painted with a free and spontaneous touch (ill. 2). Géricault undoubtedly looked at the works of David Wilkie, whom he mentions in his correspondence. Wilkie painted many small formats, and although he mainly painted genre scenes, he also produced several portraits, favouring a full-length presentation and a warm, brown palette.
The sale also includes watercolours by Théodore Géricault that were presented in 1961 in the exhibition "L’Aquarelle romantique" at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Calais. Two of these show Zoë Elmore on her horse, another shows beautiful horse crouches in a stable (ill. 3).
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- 3. Théodore Géricault (1791-1824)
Two Horses in a Stable
Watercolour - 18.5 x 23 cm
Sale Sotheby’s Paris, 23 March 2023
Photo: Sotheby’s - See the image in its page
Finally, let us note an astonishing painting resulting from a collaboration between two painters who did not live at the same time, one in the 18th and the other in the 19th century The Martyrdom of Saint Hippolytus was painted around 1737 by Pierre Subleyras (1699-1749) and taken over by Théodore Géricault (1791-1824) when it was in the Elmore collection [2] (ill. 4).
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- 4. Pierre Subleyras (1699-1749) and Théodore Géricault (1791-1824)
The Martyrdom of Saint Hippolytus
Oil on canvas - 75 x 98.5 cm
Sale Sotheby’s Paris, 23 March 2023
Photo: Sotheby’s - See the image in its page
Hippolytus, a Roman tribune, was charged with the supervision of St. Lawrence in prison. Edified by the latter’s conduct, he eventually converted himself and his entire household. After Lawrence’s death, Hippolytus went to bury him secretly; he was denounced, arrested and tortured, along with all his relatives. Hippolytus’ nurse, Concordia, appears in the foreground and is whipped to death. Other people are beheaded. Hippolytus is tied to a horse which is dragging him along the ground. To the left of the composition, the prefect Valérien is watching the scene.
Géricault reworked the horse, representing it more realistically. He modified its posture by taking over its front and rear limbs, accentuated the dilation of its nostrils and its exorbitant eyes, and added bloodstains to its coat. He also changed the direction of the other horse’s gaze. By dramatising this great history painting, which was less idealised and more realistic, he brought it into the viewer’s world.
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- 5. Jacques Blanchard (1600-1638)
Virgin and Child
Oil on canvas - 82 x 68,5 cm
Sotheby’s Paris, sale 23 March 2023
Photo: Sotheby’s - See the image in its page
Sotheby’s over the next few days will also be offering for sale part of the Asbjorn Lunde (1927-2017) collection. This American lawyer, born to Norwegian parents, was the brother of the art historian and painter Karl Lunde, who studied Johan Christian Dahl in particular. Asbjorn Lunde began by collecting Norwegian landscapes, as evidenced by several of the works offered for sale. He became interested in Scandinavian painting of the 19th century in general, and in Swiss painters, especially the landscape painter Alexandre Calame (see the news item of 25/5/16).
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- 6. Sébastien Bourdon (1616-1671)
Landscape with the Rest of the Holy Family
Oil on canvas - 116 x 148.5 cm
Sotheby’s Paris, sale 23 March 2023
Photo: Sotheby’s - See the image in its page
But the collector also had a passion for old master paintings: a group of 17th century still lifes are thus offered by Sotheby’s, by Pierre Dupuis, Jean-Michel Picart or Jan Davidsz. de Heem. Two 17th century French history paintings are also of interest: a Landscape with the Holy Family at Rest during the Flight to Egypt by Sébastien Bourdon and a Mother and Child by Jacques Blanchard (ill. 5 and 6).
Lunde was a patron of many museums in the United States and Europe (see news items). Proceeds from this sale will go to the Asbjorn Lunde Foundation, which supports museums - research, publication, exhibitions, education - as well as the music world.
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- 7. José María Sert (1874-1945)
L’Entremetteuse
Oil on panel - 243.4 x 178 cm
Sotheby’s Paris, sale 22 March 2023
Photo: Sotheby’s - See the image in its page
Finally, among the works in the 22 March sale, we should mention a painting by José María Sert that had been revived in an exhibition at the Petit Palais (see article): The Entremetteuse (ill. 7) is part of a set of projects for door-coverings and hangings, the subjects of which were taken from picaresque novels.