Jacques-Louis David
French painter, 1748-1825
David was an influential French painter in the Neoclassical style, considered to be the preeminent painter of the era. In the 1780s his cerebral brand of history painting marked a change in taste away from Rococo frivolity toward a classical austerity and severity, heightened feeling harmonizing with the moral climate of the final years of the Ancien Régime. David later became an active supporter of the French Revolution and friend of Robespierre, and was effectively a dictator of the arts under the French Republic. Imprisoned after Robespierre’s fall from power, he aligned himself with yet another political regime upon his release: that of Napoleon.
Source: Wikipedia
French painter (1748-1825). Autograph letter signed („David“). N. p. 4to. 1 p.
$ 10,184 / 9.500 €
(35083)
To Charles Claude Flahaut de la Billarderie (1730–1810), comte d’Angiviller, from 1774 to 1789 directeur de Bâtiments du Roi, owner of David’s painting „Bélisaire“. David consents to the wish of his pupil, Mr Condé, to make an engraving from this tableau: „Mr Condé mon éléve vous ayant fait demander par Mr Poncet la permission de graver mon tableau de Belisaire, vous avez eu l’honêteté, Monsieur, de ne l’accorder que lorsque j’y aurois donner [sic] mon Consentement; penetré de votre delicatesse je m’empresse a me joindre a ces Messieurs pour vous prier d’user de tous vos droits de proprietaire.
Il me reste actuellement a les remercier de m’avoir procuré une occasion de vous assurer de mon respect. J’ai l’honneur d’etre, Monsieur, Votre tres humble et tres obeissant Serviteur“. – Jean Condé (†1794) was one of David’s pupils and worked as an engraver in London. Jean-Baptiste Poncet-Delpech (1743–1817), politician, literary figure and painter, was acquainted with David. The painting in question, today in the Musée du Louvre, is the second, slightly smaller and reduced version (1784) of the famous „Bélisaire demandant l'aumône“ (1780, Musée de Lille)..
French painter (1748-1825). Autograph Letter Signed. no place. 8vo. 1 page. With holograph address.
$ 3,002 / 2.800 €
(61501)
To an unnamed recipient, reminding him that he needs the necessary materials to do the portrait of their famous friend. "Et bien, cher ami, est-ce que vous avez oublie l'amiable promesse que vous m'aviez faites de ma procurer les materiaux necessaires pour la portrait de notre celebre ami?" - Enclosed is a reproduction of David's portrait of Ingres.