18th Century French School – The Wandering Musicians

18th century school, entourage of Greuze
the Wandering Musicians
22.7 x 16.5 cm
Pen and wash of brown and gray ink, traces of pencil
annotation at the bottom left, on the mount, in pen: "Girardin fecit"

Framed, under glass
Dimensions with the frame: 36.5 x 30 cm

Good condition, slight insolation, a slight horizontal fold, in the center of the sheet

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A charming 18th century drawing, evoking, in particular for the figure of the child at the bottom right, the subtle manner of Jean-Baptiste Greuze. The artist captures the moment when the music is about to sound, with very fine precision in the drawing of the hands as well as the instruments. The triangle that the child is about to ring is a superb little geometric shape in the middle of this very well orchestrated composition.

This drawing, which is quite typical of the spirit of 18th century genre scenes, with an influence of the Dutch 17th century, is full of perfectly mastered details, which suggest a very skilled hand. The name Girardin, written at the bottom left, on the mounting of the drawing, is a path to explore.

The names of Charles Eschard, Charles Eisen or even Schenau come to mind for possible stylistic comparisons.