Original Double-sided Drawing - Mercury And Studies Of Antique Objects

Double-sided drawing executed in pen and sepia wash, attributed to Jean-Guillaume Moitte, depicting on the front two figures inspired by ancient mythology and, on the back, several studies of Greco-Roman objects and utensils.

The front features two figures in the neoclassical style rendered with great linear elegance. On the right is a figure resembling Mercury-Hermes, identifiable by his winged helmet and caduceus. On the left, a nude figure draped in a flowing cloak blows into a long ancient trumpet, in a theatrical pose reminiscent of the decorative and sculptural models studied by 18th-century French artists.

The reverse side features several studies of ancient objects: vases, amphorae, cups, weapons, and pieces of furniture or ritual implements observed during archaeological surveys conducted in Italy. These annotations and sketches attest to the scholarly perspective that Neoclassical artists brought to the decorative arts of antiquity.

Attributed to Jean-Guillaume Moitte, this sheet is part of the great revival of antiquity that characterized the second half of the 18th century following the discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum.

A student of Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, Moitte spent several years in Italy studying monuments, sculptures, and ancient artifacts to inform his future monumental compositions.

The double-sided nature of the drawing, along with the spontaneity of the lines, reinforce the lively and documentary quality of this study, executed around 1770.

Good overall condition with slight foxing and minor age-related marks due to the age of the paper. Slightly irregular edges.

23 cm x 30 cm