18th Century Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

An exquisite 18th century miniature portrait in watercolour, depicting a beautiful young women wearing a pastel gown, pearls and ribbons. Well presented in a brass oval window with g...

An allegory of loyalty, with the subject's dog pictured seated, holding his master's chisel in his mouth; fidelity personified. Italian School, 18th century Ink wash in gray and bl...

George Edwards: ""A History of Uncommon Birds"", 1749-1761. A prominent English naturalist and ornithologist, George Edwards (1694 -1773) is best known for his work, ""A Natural His...

At first glance, this attractive genre scene by Jean-Baptiste Lallemand is an enigma. What is the point of depicting Dijon's Notre-Dame church in the background of a harbor landscape...

A fine 18th century design for an Ewer in the Baroque style. Mounted in a sleek gilt frame. On very early hand made laid.

We are pleased to offer a unique watercolor painting by an unknown artist, following the imaginative and distinctive style of Giuseppe Arcimboldo. This intriguing piece features a du...

Late 18th Century pastel portrait on paper of a bearded gentleman. Presented under glass in a fine period gilded carved wood frame. A cha...

"A View of Irvington on Hudson," a watercolor by John Henry Hill, captures the picturesque beauty of Irvington, a charming village nestled along the Hudson River. Hill, celebrated fo...

Richard Westall, R.A. (1765-1836) Venus signed and dated ‘R. Westall 1794’ (lower right) pencil and watercolour, with white heightening image 11 ⅞ x 15 ¼ in. (30.2 x 38.7 cm.) frame ...

Louis-Félix de La Rue (1730-1777)  The Baptism of Carloman Pen and back ink on paper 13.3 x 16 cm Inscribed in the lower border "Le Pape baptise Carloman, fils ainé de Charlemagne" ...

Landscape with Figures in the English Countryside Pen, ink and graphite with gray and brown washes on laid watermarked paper, c. 1740 Signed by the artist lower left of image: "Chate...

French school 18th Century, A mytholological scene with a couple, Pen and brown ink, brown ink wash on paper 11.5 x 11.5 cm, diameter of the main scene : 10,5 cm in a modern frame under glass : 33.5 x 33.5 cm This drawing by a particularly talented 18th-century artist - as yet unidentified - is notable for its mastery of pen and wash...

Louis-Félix de La Rue (1730-1777)  A Scene of ancient sacrifice Pen and brown ink, brown ink wash on paper 10 x 15 cm In good condition In a modern frame under glass 16.5 x 21.8 cm...

Louis-Félix de La Rue (1730-1777)  Putti playing around a sculpture, a mythological scene Pen and brown ink on paper 15.4 x 31 cm In good condition The ancient mount has has a smal...

A very finely detailed silhouette in very good condition by one of the truly great silhouette artists of the Georgian period. John Miers (1758-1821) Portra...

Unknown (European, probably Eighteenth Century) Shepherds and Peasants in a Landscape Ink, watercolor, and gouache on vellum; 12 5/8 x 19 3/8 inches Framed: 20 x 28 inches (approx.)

Alexandre PAU from SAINT-MARTIN Mortagne-au-Perche, 1751 - 1820 Three pencils 30 x 46 cm (46 x 60 cm with frame) Signed lower right "P. Saint Martin" Collector's stamp lower right "I...

This stunning Baroque study depicts a regatta boat, a type of vessel developed in eighteenth-century Venice for the regattas organized by the Serenissima during visits by royalty and princes. We propose to link this drawing to the work of Alessandro Mauro, an artist who specialized in this type of composition, as illustrated by a drawing from him at the Metropolitan Museum. 1. Description of the boat The greatest decorative fantasy reigns in this preparatory study, which blends mythological and exotic elements with references to ancient Egypt. Our drawing is probably an initial thought, destined to be refined and clarified later in pen and ink (as evidenced by the ink stain in the lower right). A quadriga of seahorses guided by Neptune stands at the stern of the boat, shown well above the waterline (perhaps to outline its empty volume). One of the seahorses is ridden by a newt, while Amphitrite lies at the feet of the sea god. The center of the boat is occupied by a vast baldachin resting on four atlantes and surmounted by a figure riding an animal (a dragon?). Three figures sit beneath the canopy, one of them on a griffin-shaped seat. This allusion to Egyptian antiquity echoes the winged sun (sometimes a symbol of the god Horus, as in the temple of Edfu in Egypt) that adorns the sides of the promontory on which this baldachin rests. Another flag-bearer figure crouches at the stern of the boat on a raised seat, on the reverse of which is a crowned mermaid whose arm, extended backwards, rests on a mascaron decorated with a radiant face (Helios?) and whose torso surmounts an elephant's head. The heads of the rowers and their oars are sketched all along the boat, whose sides are embellished with elongated naiads. 2. The Venetian regatta boats An exhibition held in 2013 at the Ca' Rezzonico (the Venetian eighteenth-century museum) paid tribute to these regatta boats through studies and prints depicting them. The regattas organized by the Serenissima in honor of visiting princes and sovereigns were among the most spectacular ceremonies in Venice. Some important artists of the 18th century contributed to the creation of these extravagant boats which were given exotic names such as bissona, malgarota or peota. The specialists in this field were Andrea Urbani and the brothers Alessandro and Romualdo Mauro. They were born into a family of theater decorators in Piedmont, but little is known about their detailed biography. Alessandro was the architect of the Dresden opera house and of the St. Samuel Theater in Venice (in collaboration with his brother Romualdo), but also worked as stagehand and set designer in Vienna, Rome and Turin. A drawing produced around 1737 from the Metropolitan Museum (7th photo in the gallery) bears witness to his activity as a regatta boat designer. This drawing is a much more elaborate version than the one presented here, having been entirely reworked in brown ink. However, a figure at the bow of the boat, executed solely in black chalk, still bears witness to a technique similar to that of our drawing. It is difficult to know whether the boat depicted in our drawing was a project for an actual boat or whether it remained in the planning stage, but the front of our boat (Neptune and the quadriga of seahorses ridden by a newt) bears several similarities to that of a parade boat depicted in the print published by Michele Marieschi entitled Regatta on the Grand Canal, between the Foscari and Balbi Palaces (last photo in the gallery). This print is dated 1741, which could confirm that our work dates from around 1740. The area between Neptune and the quadriga that precedes him on this strange paddle-boat appears to be partially submerged, confirming that the waterline of our boat was probably intended to be much lower than the one shown in our drawing. The Correr Museum’s collection holds one of the most important collection of engravings and drawings devoted to these specifically Venetian Baroque productions. These boats were intended to last the duration of a festival. Today, they are only documented by preparatory drawings or prints that testify to the sumptuousness of their decoration. This taste for regatta boats lasted throughout the Venetian eighteenth century, and the conception of regatta boats also attracted great masters such as Giambattista Tiepolo, Francesco Guardi or Giambattista Piranesi...

Attributed to LAURENT HUBERT (Active circa 1749 - 1780) Diana and her Nymphs bathing Red and black chalk on paper heightened with white 49,5 x 33,5 cm Provenance: Private collectio...

Italian School Around 1700 Beheading scene in front of an enthroned king, probably a martyr scene Black pencil 21.5 x 28 cm 29.5 x 39 cm Provenance: Fryszman collection, sale on 01...

PROVENANCE Private Collection, England Colonel Charles William Garnde Walker (1882 - 1974) Thence by descent to; Sir Michael Walker (1916 - 2001) Thence by descent We are grateful t...

Nicolas-André COURTOIS Paris 1734-1806 Bust of a woman in profile 1791 Sanguine Signed and dated lower left on the original mount 43.5 x 37 cm framed 19 x 25 cm

Cornelis Johannes de Bruyn (c. 1763- c. 1828) A lovely pair of 18th century Dutch still life watercolors depicting assorted flowers in a glass vase. Watercolor on paper 13 5/8 x 9 5/8 inches (34.6 x 24.4 cm) each Framed: 23 x 18 1/2 inches each Signed: J.C.J. Bruyn 1797 G (Please request photos of the actual frame) Johannes de Bruyn made his debut as a flower and fruit still life painter in the 19th century in Utrecht. He was a student of the painter G.J. van Hulstyn. In our pair of flower still lifes, Cornelis Johannes de Bruyn has depicted two bouquets of colorful flowers set in a stone niche. They are delicate, highly detailed, realistic pieces painted in the vein of seventeenth century Old Master works. Each bouquet is arranged in a low glass bowl on a small marble pedestal...

'Insubria' Italian School, 18th century ink and wash drawing on paper, framed within a light oak wood frame (behind glass) image size: 10.5 x 7 inches overall framed: 17 x 13 inches ...

Attributed to HUBERT ROBERT (Paris 1733 - 1808) Dancing couple (recto) Various sketches (verso) Red chalk and charcoal on the reverse numbered in pencil “4229” circa 1770 34 x 21 c...

The Galli Bibiena Dynasty and European Courts. The Galli Bibiena family, renowned Italian artists and scenographers, served the most distinguished European courts, including those ...

French school of the 18th century Three pencils (pencil, red chalk, white chalk) on paper 27 x 18 cm (45 x 34 cm with frame) Inscription at bottom “Saint-Aubin de l’Académie de musique” Dated "1785" Augustin d'Herbez known as "Saint-Aubin" was a tenor and member of the Royal Academy of Music...

French School of the 18th century Woman portrait Pastel on paper mounted on canvas Pastel: 46.5 x 63 cm (18.3 x 24.8 inches) Frame: 57 x 71 cm (22.4 x 28 inches) Very good condition ...

Questo piccolo disegno, che per gli evidenti stilemi neoclassici può essere datato fra la fine del XVIII e gli inizi del XIX secolo, rappresenta la fuga del re Giacomo II Stuart-ulti...

This widely referenced pair of paintings is one of Francesco Conti’s most successful productions. Francesco Conti is one of the finest painters of 18th-century Florence. In the shimmering colors typical of his best work, he represents two opposite characters from the Bible: the virtuous Judith, whose courage saves her people by cutting off the head of the invader Holofernes, and the depraved Salome, who under the influence of her mother becomes responsible for the beheading of the prophet John the Baptist. The artist's talent lies in his ability to treat these two macabre subjects with a light touch, presenting us with two attractive women who seem to twirl with glee amidst the severed heads... 1. Francesco Conti, the “Florentine Tiepolo” Francesco Conti is a major painter of the Florentine school of the 18th century; he can even probably be considered, along with Giovanni Domenico Ferretti (1692-1768), as one of the two main painters of the second quarter of the Florentine 18th century. Born in Florence in 1682, Francesco Conti began his apprenticeship in the workshop of Simone Pignoni (1611 - 1698), a disciple of Francesco Furini; he was also influenced by the Venetian Sebastiano Ricci. A protégé of Marquis Riccardi, he accompanied him to Rome between 1699 and 1705, where he frequented Carlo Maratta's studio. He settled permanently in Florence in 1705. Painted exclusively on canvas, the majority of his work consists of religious subjects, altarpieces or private devotional works. It is likely that Conti himself was a devout churchgoer, as evidenced by his affiliation, in the third decade of the eighteenth century, to the Society of the Disciples of Saint-John-the-Baptist, and his entry, at the end of his life, into the fraternity of the Venerable Society of the Holy Trinity. In Florence, Conti worked for the Grand Duchy's major patrons, including the last Medici - in particular Giangastone and Annamaria Luisa, Electress Palatine - and confirmed his role as a reference painter under the Lorraine Regency, as master of the Public Drawing School, which was closely linked to the institute responsible for the manufacture of semi-precious stone mosaics, then located in the Uffizi complex. Matteo Marangoni, an art critic of the early 20th century, praised his "brushwork full of elegance and true spirit of the 18th century", pointing out that Conti was "probably one of the best colorists" of the Florentine school of his time. These two characteristics led the art historian Paolo dal Poggetto to nickname him the "Florentine Tiepolo". 2. Judith and Salome, two biblical characters opposing each other These two paintings form a pair presenting two biblical episodes, which have in common the depiction of a "heroine" carrying the severed head of a man. While the Salome episode might at first appear to be an echo of the Old Testament story of Judith, each character is the exact opposite of the other. Judith, whose story is told in the Book of Judith, is a beautiful young widow from Bethulia who, accompanied by her maid, went into the camp of the invading Assyrians and won the confidence of Holofernes, the general commanding the enemy army. Invited to a great feast on the fourth evening, she took advantage of Holofernes' drunkenness to cut off his head. “She went up to the bedpost near Holofernes’ head, and took down his sword that hung there. She came close to his bed, took hold of the hair of his head, and said, “Give me strength today, O Lord God of Israel!” Then she struck his neck twice with all her might, and cut off his head. Next she rolled his body off the bed and pulled down the canopy from the posts. Soon afterward she went out and gave Holofernes’ head to her maid, who placed it in her food bag...

Jacques GAMELIN Carcassone 1738-1803 Study after the triton of the Triumph of Galatea by Raphaël 1768 Black stone and light white chalk on blue paper Signed and dated lower right 41...

Emperor Jahangir and Empress Nur Jahan exchanging lotus blossoms; a symbol of beauty, purity, honesty, rebirth, self-regeneration, and enlightenment....

An illuminated page from a book likely in reference to palace life during Emperor Jahangir's reign over the Mughal Empire. circa 1750. Gouache and ink with heightening in gold on li...

An illuminated page from a book likely in reference to palace life during Emperor Jahangir's reign over the Mughal Empire. Circa 1750. Gouache and ink with gold heightening on cre...

Vishnu in the form of Krishna being serenaded with his beloved Radha. An illuminated page from the epic of Mahabharata circa 1690. Gouache and ink with gold heightening on cream lai...

An illuminated page from a book likely in reference to palace life during Emperor Jahangir's reign over the Mughal Empire. Circa 1690. Gouache and ink with gold heightening on light...

Emperor Jahangir depicted with his harem attendees aboard a pleasure cruise, the water filled with lotus blossoms; symbols of paradise itself. Circa 1750. Gouache and ink with gold ...

An unusual horizontal composition with extensive marginalia. Circa 1750. Gouache and ink with gold heightening on light weight cream laid paper, 5 3/4 x 11 3/4 inches (140 x 298 mm...

A joyful scene of lighthearted merriment in the palace of Jangahir Mahal Agra Circa 1750. Gouache and ink with gold heightening on light weight cream laid paper, 8 1/4 x 6 inches (2...

Sullo sfondo di un paesaggio dai tratti centro-settentrionali europei-in cui si riconoscono una cappella e il profilo di una città dagli alti pinnacoli-si svolge una scena di svago, ...

Il disegno rappresenta, come riportato a penna in basso al centro del foglio, il ritratto del celebre pittore dell'Emilia Romagna Francesco Albani, uno dei massimi rappresentanti del...

Il disegno a matita grigia e rossa raffigura un intenso ritratto frontale di un fanciullo con cappello, con le braccia incrociate davanti. Sul retro, in grafia corsiva, è probabilme...

circa 1750. Gouache and ink with heightening in gold on brown laid paper, 12 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches (317 x 210 mm), with a floral-motif border painted in blue and gold, the full sheet. With extensive inscriptions in Persian written in black ink on the verso. In good condition with extraordinary color. We see Empress Nur Jahan making an offering to a sage in his hut, as Emperor Jahangir looks on from a tree stand. Nur Jahan was fond of hunting and often went on hunting tours with her husband and was known for her boldness in hunting ferocious tigers. She is reported to have slain four tigers with six bullets during one hunt. According to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan this feat, inspired a poet to declaim a spontaneous couplet in her honor: "Though Nur Jahan be in form a woman, In the ranks of men she...

A beautiful composition depicting Empress Nur Jahan on a tiger hunt, an act of feminism. Circa 1750. Gouache and ink with heightening in gold on brown laid paper, 12 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches (317 x 210 mm), with a floral-motif border painted in blue and oxblood, the full sheet. With extensive inscriptions in Persian written in black ink on the verso. In good condition with overall toning and minor creasing, all consistent with age. The color is rich and and fresh with bright yellow illumination. In the distance we see the Jahangir Mahal Agra, as well as a sage meditating in his hut. A beautiful composition. Nur Jahan was fond of hunting and often went on hunting tours with her husband and was known for her boldness in hunting ferocious tigers. She is reported to have slain four tigers with six bullets during one hunt. According to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan this feat, inspired a poet to declaim a spontaneous couplet in her honor: "Though Nur Jahan be in form a woman, In the ranks of men she...

China ink and watercolor on paper. Hand dated. Conditions: Foxing on the top right of the paper

Giovanni Battista Cipriani, RA, Italian 1727-1785 Sketch of a mother with three children; black and red chalk on laid paper with watermark '© TAYLOR', 22.4 x 17.5 cm. Provenanc...

A fine 18th century watercolour study depicting figures on a road by a wayside cottage. The colours and style are typical of the period and the piece serves as an excellent example o...

China ink and watercolour on paper. Realized in 1740 ca. Very good conditions. Includes passepartout.

China ink and watercolour on paper. Some foxing, otherwise very good condition. Titled and dated. Includes passepartout.

China ink and watercolour on paper. Hand dated. Good condition except for some foxing.

Girl is a china ink drawing realized b Jan Peter Verdussen in the mid-18th Century. Good condition except for some missing parts in the lower left and right edges.

China ink and watercolor on paper. Conditions: Two cuts on the centre of the paper. Three holes on centre-right, botton-left and top-left of the paper. Worn on the top left of the ...

China ink and watercolor on paper realized by Jan Peter Verdussen in 1742. Hand dated. Conditions: five holes on top margin and on the bottom right of the paper. Foxing on the top ...

'Sicilia' Italian School, 18th century ink and wash drawing on paper, framed within a light oak wood frame (behind glass) image size: 10.5 x 7 inches overall framed: 17 x 13 inches c...

A delightful watercolour study depicting a young woman wearing a dress and smock. She points to her left hands showing her palm to the viewer. The artist captures her with a delicate...

Red chalk on paper Image size: 5 x 8 1/2 inches (12.75 x 21.5 cm) Mounted This 18th century drawing is after the work of the 16th Century Italian artist Annibale Carraci. This figure, along with many more, were painted by Carraci in the Palazzo Farnese in a space now known as the Carracci gallery. The Carracci gallery is considered as one of the most important Renaissance commissions in Rome. This figure, along with five other companions, were known as 'The Captives'. They were designed by the artist to appear trapped in the architectural spaces in the walls and sat around the fresco that featured Perseus and Andromeda. Similarly to the original drawings, this artist has taken considerable care to sculpt his form with light and shadow, gently blending strokes on the smooth-skinned cheek and distinctly denoting the direction of hair strands. Annibale Carracci Annibale Carracci (1560–1609) was the most admired painter of his time and the vital force in the creation of Baroque style. Together with his cousin Ludovico (1555–1619) and his older brother Agostino (1557–1602)—each an outstanding artist—Annibale set out to transform Italian painting. The Carracci rejected the artificiality of Mannerist painting, championing a return to nature coupled with the study of the great northern Italian painters of the Renaissance, especially Correggio, Titian, and Veronese. During the 1580s, the Carracci were painting the most radical and innovative pictures in Europe. Annibale not only drew from nature, he created a new, broken brushwork to capture movement and the effects of light on form. His Two Children Teasing a Cat marks a new chapter in the history of genre painting.  The revolutionary potential of this new kind of painting would be taken up over a decade later by Caravaggio, who must have seen the Carraccis’ work while traveling from Milan to Rome in 1592. The Carracci saw themselves as heir to a great artistic tradition, and they consciously situated themselves within the history of northern Italian painting. Annibale and Agostino visited Parma and Venice to study the work of Correggio, Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese. Their altarpieces and secular fresco cycles in Bologna reasserted a northern Italian emphasis on color, light, and the study of nature, but with a new focus on emotive communication. Their success led to Annibale being invited to Rome to work for the powerful Farnese family (1595). Ludovico remained in Bologna to direct the academy they founded. Through the next generation of painters—Francesco Albani, Domenichino, Guido Reni, Giovanni Lanfranco, and Guercino—Bolognese painting became the dominant force in seventeenth-century art. In Rome, Annibale’s painting was transformed through his first-hand encounter with classical antiquity and the art of Michelangelo and Raphael. Individual scenes of ancient mythology are surrounded by an elaborate illusionistic framework with feigned statues, in front of which sit muscular nude figures seemingly lit from the actual windows (Galleria Farnese ceiling). The corners are opened to painted views of the sky. When unveiled in 1600, the ceiling was instantly acclaimed as the equal of any work in the past. In combining northern Italian naturalism with the idealism of Roman painting, Annibale created the basis of Baroque art. His only challenger in Rome was Caravaggio, whose relation with the past was combative rather than assimilative. Moreover, Caravaggio’s art...

A heartwarming sepia study of a shepherdess comforting her young baby. Well-presented in a contemporary gilt-effect frame. Unsigned. On paper.

'Providenza' Italian School, 18th century ink and wash drawing on paper, framed within a light oak wood frame (behind glass) image size: 10.5 x 7 inches overall framed: 17 x 13 inche...