Provenance

Didier Aaron

Didier Aaron et Cie
Didier Aaron Inc.
Didier Aaron Ltd

Explore selected works

Shown from the lap up, a young woman with smooth, olive-toned skin tinged with pink sits facing our left on a waterfront verandah in this vertical painting. A peanut-brown stone wall behind her angles into the picture from the right edge of the painting, and a stone balustrade spans the width of the composition beyond her. A sliver of a coral-pink drapery hangs just behind her shoulders, to our right. She tips her head down and to our right over slightly slumped shoulders. She looks at or toward us with large brown eyes under dark, arching brows. She has a thin, straight nose, and her full, rosy lips are closed. Her black hair is parted down the middle and long braids fall to each side of her face. Her head is covered with a sheer, straw-yellow fabric that winds around the braids. Her bare arms stretch forward from her sleeveless dress, and her hands are loosely clasped on one raised knee. The dress has a white bodice trimmed with a delicate gold pattern around the loose neckline, and a gleaming bead at the shoulder we can see. The voluminous skirt starts just under the bust, and falls in folds around her lower body. It is patterned with stylized, golden-tan leaves, vines, and flowers against an aquamarine-blue background, and the skirt is belted around her waist. Water in the distance is painted with a band of pale blue. Where the clear sky meets the horizon is misty peach that deepens to topaz blue along the top of the composition. The artist has signed and dated the painting in the upper right corner “HEINRICH.LEHMANN 1837 PARIS.”
Henri Lehmann, Woman of the "Orient", 1837, oil on canvas, Chester Dale Fund, 2019.15.1

Woman of the "Orient"

Henri Lehmann · 1837 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  2019.15.1

Shown from the knees up, a young woman sits nuzzling a baby in her lap in this vertical painting. They both have pale skin tinged with pink. The woman’s body is angled to our right with her head in profile. A narrow, white scarf ties around her dark brown hair, leaving soft tendrils brushing the side of her face and neck. Her eyes are lowered, and her pursed, rose-pink lips almost touch the infant’s upturned face. A sea-blue mantle is draped across her back and one shoulder, and wraps around to lie across her lap. Ivory-white fabric drapes across her neckline over a voluminous, coral-red robe. The nude, plump child faces away from us, perched on the woman’s knee. He turns to reach fir the woman, so we see a sliver of his flushed, left cheek and the tip of his nose. He has curly blond hair. One pudgy hand rests on her neck while the other cradles her chin. A mustard-yellow cloth wraps around his hips and under his dimpled bottom. The woman’s left hand, on our right, delicately embraces his hip. She leans onto her other arm, propped on a stone ledge to our left, and that hand loosely holds one end of the baby’s yellow drapery. The scene is lit from the upper left, and they are set against a background that transitions from earth brown on the left to cinnamon brown on the right. The artist signed the work as if he had written his name and the date on the face of the ledge, just under the woman’s elbow: “Simon Vovet Pinxit.1633.”
Simon Vouet, Madonna and Child, 1633, oil on canvas, Chester Dale Fund, 2016.20.1

Madonna and Child

Simon Vouet · 1633 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  2016.20.1

The image depicts a person from the waist up, seated and slightly turned to the right. The person's face is turned to the left side of the frame and features expressive eyes, an aquiline nose, and full lips. The person has curly hair cascading around their face and neck. They are wearing flowing robes, and their left arm with a hand visible extends towards the viewer. The background includes light sketching of foliage.
Giuseppe Maria Crespi, Portrait of a Man, c. 1700, red chalk on laid paper, William B. O'Neal Fund, 2021.65.1

Portrait of a Man

Giuseppe Maria Crespi · c. 1700 · red chalk on laid paper ·  Accession ID  2021.65.1

The image depicts a landscape drawing viewed from an uneven, natural terrain perspective. The horizon is indicated by a line of trees and landscape features extending into the distance. The artwork shows intricate brushwork of trees and foliage, using fine, detailed strokes to create texture and depth. The color scheme is monochromatic, with various shades of black against an off-white or cream background. A large twisted tree with sprawling roots is on the left, and more trees and foliage are visible throughout the scene. Some birds are sketched in the sky.
Hippolyte Lalaisse, A Pollard Willow by a Stream, c. 1840, pen and brown ink on cream wove paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 2015.196.4

A Pollard Willow by a Stream

Hippolyte Lalaisse · c. 1840 · pen and brown ink on cream wove paper ·  Accession ID  2015.196.4

This is a drawing featuring centaurs interacting with human figures. Multiple centaur figures appear in dynamic poses or scenes. The central part shows a centaur clutching a human figure in a dramatic embrace or struggle, surrounded by other centaurs engaging with various human figures or each other. The illustration is created on toned paper, with shading emphasizing the musculature and forms of the figures to convey depth and motion. The positioning of the centaurs and their interactions suggest a narrative rich in mythological elements.
Hippolyte Lalaisse, Nessus and Dejanira in Four Poses, and the Dying Nessus, 1830s, pen and brown ink with brown wash, heightened with white on blue wove paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 2015.196.2

Nessus and Dejanira in Four Poses, and the Dying Nessus

Hippolyte Lalaisse · 1830s · pen and brown ink with brown wash, heightened with white on blue wove paper ·  Accession ID  2015.196.2

The image depicts a muscular male figure from the back, standing in a dynamic pose with a shield raised above his head and holding a sword. The man has wavy hair under a helmet and is surrounded by other figures, including fallen bodies and mounted soldiers in motion, indicating a battle scene. The figure appears naked or minimally clothed, with detailed musculature. The background is filled with sketch lines emphasizing movement and tension.
Hippolyte Lalaisse, An Ancient Roman Warrior in Battle, c. 1830, pen and brown ink on wove paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 2015.196.3

An Ancient Roman Warrior in Battle

Hippolyte Lalaisse · c. 1830 · pen and brown ink on wove paper ·  Accession ID  2015.196.3

The image shows a landscape with travelers and people in a countryside. In the background, there are hills or mountains with a small town visible. The painting style is intricate with detailed brushstrokes, creating a sketch-like appearance. The color palette consists of warm tones, primarily in the terracotta or red ochre spectrum. The foreground features mounted figures and caravans, leading the eye towards the distant hills and town. Trees and vegetation add texture to the scene.
Adam Frans van der Meulen, French Troops before Salins and the Surrounding Hills, 1668/1670, red chalk over black chalk surrounding red chalk counterproof, on two joined sheets of laid paper, incised overall for transfer and laid down, The Ahmanson Foundation, 2008.88.1

French Troops before Salins and the Surrounding Hills

Adam Frans van der Meulen · 1668/1670 · red chalk over black chalk surrounding red chalk counterproof, on two joined sheets of laid paper, incised overall for transfer and laid down ·  Accession ID  2008.88.1

The image depicts several figures in a circular composition against a cloud-filled background. In the center, a figure is shown levitating with arms outstretched. Their face is partly obscured by an aura, with visible features of a bearded visage and long hair. Surrounding this central figure are two seated individuals draped in robes holding tablet-like objects. In the lower portion, three figures are shown in kneeling or seated poses with bowed or turned heads, clothed in robes. The background features swirling clouds.
Ercole Setti, The Transfiguration, c. 1570s/1580s, pen and brown ink on laid paper, Ruth and Jacob Kainen Memorial Acquisition Fund, 2020.93.1

The Transfiguration

Ercole Setti · c. 1570s/1580s · pen and brown ink on laid paper ·  Accession ID  2020.93.1

The image shows a group of men moving a horse-drawn cart filled with logs in a wintry landscape. The ground appears rough and icy or snowy. In the background, tall, leafless trees stand out against the low horizon under an overcast sky. The scene is depicted in a monochromatic palette of various shades of gray, creating a cold, somber atmosphere. The brushstrokes are loose and swift, with a focus on texture and energy. The cart is centrally positioned, with the horse and men adding movement to the composition.
Hippolyte Lalaisse, Workmen Gathering Ice at the Water's Edge, c. 1850, black chalk heightened with white on blue paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 2015.196.1

Workmen Gathering Ice at the Water's Edge

Hippolyte Lalaisse · c. 1850 · black chalk heightened with white on blue paper ·  Accession ID  2015.196.1

This is a drawing of a classical mythological scene. The scene depicts a group of female figures in an ethereal setting surrounded by clouds and nature elements. They are depicted with flowing garments and engaging in a graceful ritual or gathering. Cherubic figures are interspersed among them. The setting is under a large tree with expansive branches. The drawing captures the elegance and harmony of the figures and their environment with delicate lines and shading.
Jean François Pierre Peyron, Venus and the Graces Crowning Thémire, 1795/1796, pen and black and brown ink with brown wash over traces of graphite, on laid paper, laid down, Gift of Jeffrey E. Horvitz, 2008.117.1

Venus and the Graces Crowning Thémire

Jean François Pierre Peyron · 1795/1796 · pen and black and brown ink with brown wash over traces of graphite, on laid paper, laid down ·  Accession ID  2008.117.1