Harnessed Horse, Alfred De Dreux (1810–1860)

A rare gouache depicting a "harnessed horse," signed by Alfred de Dreux, who was born and died in Paris
(March 23, 1810 – March 5, 1860) was a French portraitist and animal painter who specialized in
depicting horses.
Private collection.
In perfect condition.
Dimensions:
Frame: h. 80 cm x w. 69 cm.
Gouache: h. 65.5 cm x w. 55.5 cm.
The gouache with charcoal and pencil highlights that we are presenting is of remarkable quality
both for its attention to detail and the virtuosity of its technique, as well as its realism.
History: 
Pierre Alfred was the first child and only son of Pierre Anne Dedreux (1788–1834), an architect,
and Elisabeth-Adélaïde Colin (1785–1874), who lived at 9 rue Taibout.
His two sisters were Thérèse Elisabetn, known as Elise (1812–1846), and Louise Marie Anaïs, known as Louise
(1824–1891).
Alfred spent some time with his family at the Villa Medici, as his father had won
the Grand Prix de Rome in architecture in 1815.
In 1823, encouraged by his uncle, the painter Pierre-Joseph Dedreux-Dorcy (1789–1874), he studied
painting under Théodore Géricault and then Léon Cogniet. The horse was already his favorite subject,
as evidenced by the preparatory sketches from that period.
His first major canvas dates from 1825; it is a copy of Théodore
Géricault’s *Mazeppa* (1823).
In 1831, he exhibited at the Paris Salon for the first time. He would exhibit there regularly until
1859. The following year, he painted his first equestrian portrait of the Duke of Orléans (son of Louis-
Philippe I).
In 1842, he received his first government commission for an equestrian portrait of the Duke of Orléans and
his guard.
In 1848, he followed Louis-Philippe into exile in England, where he won the appreciation of the English aristocracy, of whom he painted numerous portraits.
In 1852, he returned to Paris and set up his studio at 26 Rue de Douai. He produced numer-
ous equestrian portraits of the family and circle of Emperor Napoleon III.
On August 16, 1857, he was named a Knight of the Legion of Honor.
He died on March 5, 1860, from a liver abscess, and was buried at the Père-Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.