Jean-ernest Aubert (1824-1906) Sappho - 1874 - Drawing

Aubert was a Parisian artist who won the Prix de Rome for engraving in 1844. A student of Paul Delaroche, he was a leading figure in 19th-century French academic art. He received several awards at the Salon. The drawing we are presenting is a reworking of a piece he would revisit throughout his career. Several painted sketches have already appeared on the market, as well as a large canvas dated 1859 (an oil on paper, 21 x 15 cm, Artcurial, May 3, 2008; an oil on canvas sold in Bern, 88 x 63 cm, May 21, 2015, lot 2136, (illustrated in the photos)). A reproduction of this painting appeared in the press under the title "This Sappho." This large sheet testifies to the artist's skill, his mastery of drapery and modeling, acquired through the transposition of the Old Masters into engravings.