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Jean-Louis André Théodore Géricault (Rouen 1791-1824 Paris) Study for the race of the Barberi horses image 1
Jean-Louis André Théodore Géricault (Rouen 1791-1824 Paris) Study for the race of the Barberi horses image 2
Jean-Louis André Théodore Géricault (Rouen 1791-1824 Paris) Study for the race of the Barberi horses image 3
Lot 77

Jean-Louis André Théodore Géricault
(Rouen 1791-1824 Paris)
Study for the race of the Barberi horses

5 July 2023, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £15,360 inc. premium

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Jean-Louis André Théodore Géricault (Rouen 1791-1824 Paris)

Study for the race of the Barberi horses
pencil on paper
20.9 x 27.1cm (8 1/4 x 10 11/16in).

Footnotes

Provenance
Collection of Aimé-Charles-Horace His de la Salle (1795-1878), Paris (L. 1333)
Probably his sale, Christie's, London, 27 November 1880, lot 21
Unidentified collector's mark, formerly said to be Philippe Huart (d. 1869)(L. 2084)
Collection of Dr Alfred Scharf (1900-1965) and thence by descent to the present owner

The present study is one of many by Gericault for his unrealised, large-scale painting The Race of the Riderless Horses. He travelled to Italy in 1816-17 and whilst in Rome witnessed the race of the Barberi horses, an annual event marking Carnival in which riderless horses competed with each other in a race along via del Corso. The surviving studies point to an intended composition that was clearly informed by classical bass-reliefs such as the Parthenon frieze; the current drawing reflects the muscularity and energy that can be seen in those sculptures, with two men trying to restrain the rearing horse before the start of the race.

When the present work was offered for sale in 1995 (Sotheby's, London, 10 July 1995, lot 169, unsold), Prof. Lorenz Eitner confirmed the attribution to Gericault. We are grateful to Philippe Grunchec for confirming the attribution to Gericault upon physical inspection.

Dr Alfred Scharf was an art historian, collector & art dealer who emigrated from Berlin to London in 1933, and he remained there for the rest of his life.

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