This fall, step into the workshop of Marie & Félix Bracquemond at Artcurial

At the heart of the creative process
Preserved until today by their descendants, these 226 works bear witness to the prolific and eclectic work of these two artists, who participated in several Impressionist exhibitions – Félix Bracquemond took part in the 1874 exhibition, which we celebrate the 150th anniversary of this year, while Marie showcased her work in 1879, 1880, and 1886.

From the very first lots, we are invited to the workshop’s intimacy, where Marie captures Félix at work while he depicts his wife drawing. This elegant drawing is part of the preparatory work for an important etching by the artist, La Terrasse de la Villa Bracas, created in 1876, which beautifully illustrates the studious and poetic atmosphere of the couple's home in Sèvres.

Marie Bracquemond: Preparatory Drawings for Major Paintings
Between watercolors, canvases, faience, and etchings, Marie Bracquemond (1840-1916) is distinguished by the great diversity of her work, with resolutely modern subjects. Active in the field of portraits, she depicts elegant women and young girls outdoors, as well as children.

This second auction features numerous preparatory drawings by Marie for significant paintings, like a study for the oil on canvas Le peintre (James Tissot ?) et son modèle dans un jardin fleuri, which Marie presented at the 1880 Impressionist exhibition. This painting was one of the highlights of our first sale, fetching €118,080.

Similarly, the charcoal drawing Au soleil, le pique-nique champêtre is part of the preparatory drawings for a series of illustrations depicting the twelve months of the year, created around 1882 by Marie for La Vie Moderne, an illustrated weekly magazine of art and literature founded in Paris in 1879. The oil on canvas Sur la terrasse de La Chabanne showcases the most captivating aspects of Marie's painting, with a very free brushstroke and a bright clear color palette, reminiscent of the works of Eva Gonzales, Mary Cassatt, or Berthe. It is accompanied by a study of this work, in pencil on pink paper.

Félix Bracquemond: An Eclectic Creation
The auction on October 9th will also showcase the full range of Félix Bracquemond's (1833-1914) creative work, including drawing, engraving, ceramics, and painting. Among the standout lots is a rare charcoal preparatory drawing for one of his major works, notable both for its subject and technical execution: the Portrait d’Edouard Manet, sold for €367,360 on April 30th.

His eclecticism is also reflected in almost Symbolist depictions of nature and bathers as well as hunting scenes. Additionally, two charcoal preparatory drawings for etchings on steel by Félix, created in 1856 to illustrate songs by his friend Charles Desforges de Vassens, will be offered for sale.

The auction will also feature projects for dishes and vases intended for his table services, as well as preparatory work for decorative arts. For instance, there is a set of six studies for the Fleurs et rubans service, dated around 1878, which provides detailed instructions by Félix for the manufacture. Similarly, a watercolor study of a dish titled Le Verger, femme cueillant des fruits will be offered for sale. This design revisits an iconography previously created in the workshop of ceramicist Théodore Deck for a monochrome green dish, which sold for €18,368 on April 30th.

The final lot of this auction aligns with the later years of Félix's career, which were dedicated to embroidery and tapestry: Femme nue agenouillée près d’un étang où nagent des canards, étude pour la tapisserie L’arc-en-ciel.

Exhibition
5 October, 11am-6pm
7 October, 11am-6pm
8 October, 11am-6pm

See the Sale

Auction
9 October 2024 - 2:30pm

Contact
Léa Pailler
+33 1 42 99 16 50