Mercury and Pegasus

1660s/1670s

Charles Le Brun

Associated Names
Charles Le Brun

Artist, French, 1619 - 1690

This is a drawing of a figure holding a rearing horse. The drawing depicts a muscular figure next to a horse in motion, with one front leg raised. The figure is adorned with drapery around the waist and wears a winged helmet. The horse is robust and dynamic, suggesting movement and strength. The monochromatic rendering and delicate lines emphasize the detailed anatomy of both the figure and the horse.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    black chalk and gray wash on laid paper, laid down on an old mount

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Donald Stone

  • Dimensions

    sheet: 17.2 × 13.9 cm (6 3/4 × 5 1/2 in.)
    mount: 27.8 × 22.2 cm (10 15/16 × 8 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2022.40.8

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Alzire Humbert, Paris. Alfred Norman, Paris [1910 - 1993] (Lugt 153c). (sale, Christie's London, 5 July 1999, no. 136); (Paul Proute, S.A., Paris, 2001); purchased 2001 by Donald Stone [1942 - 2020], New York; bequest to NGA, 2021.

Associated Names

Bibliography

2009

  • Paul Prouté S.A., Paris, Dessins - Estampes, catalogue "Watteau". Paris, 2001: no. 7.

Inscriptions

by later hand in brown ink on mount: LEBRUN; by later hand, upper right verso on mount in brown ink: Paris, 28 Aout / [unidentified paraphe]; by later hand, center verso of mount in brown ink: Collect.n Alzire Humbert; by later hand, lower center verso in blue ballpoint ink: Lebrun: Pegase et Mercure / De la serie des projets de [not deciphered] non executes / Dessin [not deciphered] au Louvre no. 6019 avec Pegase et un femme; by later hand, lower right verso in graphite: 990332; by later hand, lower right verso in blue ball point ink: voir / 6019 / du Louvre

Markings

Alzire Humbert, Paris. Alfred Norman (not in Lugt)

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