Jean Cocteau

(French, 1889–1963)

Les Amants

Black felt tip pen on paper

Signed Jean * (lower center)

16 1/2 x 11 3/8 in. (41.9 x 28.9cm)

Private Collection, New York, New York.

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

Provenance:

Sotheby's, New York, sale of June 12, 1992, lot 102.

Acquired directly from the above sale.

The Collection of Seymour Stein.

His Sale, Sotheby's, New York, sale of December 11, 2003, lot 160.

Acquired directly from the above sale by the present owner.

Lot Essay:

The present work is a study for an illustration to Jean Genet's Querelle de Brest, published in 1947.

The sheet is laid down to Masonite, and matted on all four corners, which prevents us from inspecting its outer edges, and the reverse. With slight folds in the paper, most likely from the medium (see at center left, across the tallest figure's bicep, and at upper center in the background). Otherwise no sign of restoration. Minor surface accretions (minuscule brown dots) visible on the background at center right and center left. See Specialist's pictures for more details.
Frame: 20 3/4 x 15 3/4 x 1 /4 in.

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Raphaël Chatroux

VP, Head of Department, Impressionist & Modern Art

[email protected]267.414.1253

Raphaël Chatroux is the Head of Department for Freeman's Impressionist & Modern Art.

Chatroux joined Freeman’s in 2016 as a Fine Art department intern. Later that year, he was the Samuel M. Freeman II Fellowship recipient and was promoted to cataloguer. Since his arrival, he has developed an expertise for a wide range of American and European art. He worked closely with Chairman Alasdair Nichol on the successful sales of The Collections of Heidi Bigham Stott in 2020 and The Peltz Collection of Pennsylvania Impressionists in 2021. Chatroux is associated with recent world records obtained for artists Cecilia Beaux, Emma Fordyce McRae, and Bo Bartlett. He was also instrumental in the acquisition of a Berthe Morisot oil painting by the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris. As a native of France, Chatroux has worked in various art centers in Paris including Hôtel Drouot, where he oversaw auctions of fine wine and good spirits and the Palace of Versailles, where he conceived and curated several bilingual audio-guide tours. Chatroux graduated from Paris-Sorbonne University with a degree in art history; he also holds a master’s degree in art law.

Impressionist and Modern Art, Featuring the Collection of John and Rosetta Gernon

Les Amants

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