Noel Jules – Animated Scene: Washerwomen In Front Of A Manor – Graphite Drawing – Circa 1847

Pencil drawing depicting washerwomen in front of a manor house. 5 women are thus visible, 2 in the foreground and 3 in the background. The setting is very complete: the manor house and its outbuildings are placed high up. In the background, we can see another large residence and a mountain. The sky is treated with a wash that covers the entire upper part of the drawing.

The whole demonstrates a great sense of observation and composition, which is a characteristic of the artist. It is difficult to locate the place: the architecture of the manor house is reminiscent of Brittany, but the mountain in the background contradicts this location. It is a perfect example of the compositions that Jules Noël forced himself to draw every day.

The work is in very good condition, very fresh, without tears or losses. Minor foxing in the upper part. It is placed under glass, under a marie-louise. The whole is framed in a sober, modern, new black frame.

The work belongs to a set created by Jules Noël in the years 1847-1850. We offer several works belonging to this same set. Most are not signed, but you will easily recognize the unique style of Jules Noël.

The artist
Jules Noël, also called Jules Achille Noël, whose real name is Louis Assez Noël, was born in Nancy in 1810. His family moved to Brittany when he was still a child. Jules Noël remained very attached to Brittany and painted it throughout his life. He taught drawing in Saint-Pol-de-Léon and then in Lorient from 1835. In 1839, he moved to Nantes.

From 1840, he exhibited in all the Parisian salons. He drew constantly, especially on location in Brittany and Normandy. His reputation grew steadily and he established himself as a marine artist. Baudelaire noticed one of his seascapes in 1846. He had a successful career until the 1870s. Problems with alcohol and gambling addiction would have detrimental consequences on his career and his production. In 1880, he joined one of his daughters in Algeria, where he died in 1881.

A large number of national museums hold works by Jules Noël, including the Louvre, the National Maritime Museum in London, the Château de Versailles museum, the museums of Brest, Marseille, Briançon, Dieppe, Rennes, Dijon, Angers, Castres, Chantilly, Chartres, Chaumont, La Rochelle, Mulhouse, Nancy, Nantes, Reims, Tours, etc. His works have been the subject of numerous public auctions.

Work visible at the gallery (07240).
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