Hunting Scene Attributed To René Princeteau, Charcoal

Born in 1843 in Libourne, Princeteau studied sculpture in Bordeaux, then painting at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He became friends with Count Alphonse de Toulouse-Lautrec and took his son Henri on as a student. A landscape and portrait painter, René Princeteau faithfully captured the era of grand carriages, fox hunts, and horse races. Known for his equestrian paintings (notably those exhibited at the Salon of 1885), which are interesting to compare with those of the young Albi native Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Princeteau is less known for the landscapes and scenes of rural life that inspired him after his return to the Gironde region in the 1880s. This is a very fine drawing in which Princeteau's characteristic energy is evident. An annotation in the lower left corner indicates "double drawing." Indeed, there is a landscape sketch on the back of the sheet. Beautifully framed.