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166 - 166. Maurice Leloir (Paris 1853-1940)

Estimate €60,000 - €80,000

Description

166. Maurice Leloir (Paris 1853-1940) La visite de la frégate ; La parade chez Nicolet ; Sur le passage du roi Louis XV ; Madame du Barry a set of four, three of them signed 'Maurice Leloir (lower left), one signed 'Maurice Leloir' (lower right) watercolour and gouache on paper 123,5 x 44.7cm (48 5/8 x 17 5/8in). Provenance Sale, Beaussant Lefèvre & Associés, Paris, 15 June 2016, lot 28 Sale, Hampel, Munich, 28 March 2019, lot 518 Born in Paris in 1853 into a family of artists, Maurice Leloir established a successful career as a painter, watercolourist and illustrator, exhibiting regularly at the Salon des Artistes Français from 1876. Renowned for his depictions of eighteenth-century subjects, he combined a refined pictorial sensibility with a scholar's knowledge of costume and material culture, developed through his activities as a collector and historian. Leloir's fascination with the eighteenth century extended well beyond his artistic practice. In 1907 he founded the Société de l'histoire du costume with Édouard Detaille and Maurice Maindron, serving as its president until his death. His extensive knowledge of historical dress and material culture informed the remarkable precision of his compositions, enabling him to reconstruct past environments with considerable authenticity. The present set of four gouaches, depicting scenes from the reign of Louis XV, exemplifies Leloir's fascination with the Ancien Régime. From royal ceremony and courtly life to popular entertainment, the compositions are animated by elegantly dressed figures and enriched by meticulously observed architectural and decorative details. The artist's exceptional understanding of historical costume lends the scenes a remarkable sense of authenticity, while their lively narrative quality reflects his work as an illustrator. The richness of the fabrics, historical dress and furnishings reflects his specialist knowledge, while the crowded compositions and varied expressions lend the scenes an engaging anecdotal quality. In La parade chez Nicolet, for instance, a theatrical performance featuring Harlequin and Columbine is accompanied by a procession of children and musicians, offering a glimpse of popular entertainment alongside the more formal royal subjects of the other panels. The unusually elongated format and harmonious palette of the present works suggest that they may have been conceived as part of a unique decorative ensemble. Together, they demonstrate Leloir's distinctive ability to unite historical accuracy with a charming and highly accomplished evocation of eighteenth-century France.

About the sale Old Master and 19th Century Paintings

Auction location

Auction time 11/04/2026 at 1:00 PM

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