PIERRE-PAUL PRUD'HON Landscape of Trees against a Distant Hill and Two Figures<>.
Black and white chalks on blue laid paper. 285x445 mm; 11¼x17½ inches. Inscribed "Pas" lower left, "27 pas entre les deux grands arbres" lower center and "50 pas" lower right in black chalk. Ex-collection Louis Deglatigny (Lugt supplement 1768a, lower left recto), Dr. C. R. Rudolf, his sale Sotheby's, May 19, 1977 (as Prud'hon), and private collection, London. Exhibited Arts Council, London, "Old Master Drawings from the Collection of Dr. C. R. Rudolf," 1962, catalogue number 188, plate 27.
Although Prud'hon was a prolific draughtsman, very few landscape drawings by him are known. Only 9 were listed by Guiffrey in his 1924 catalogue raisonné (one not listed by Guiffrey sold at Swann, January 25, 2001, sale 1885, lot 160).
Another example, similar in execution to this, was formerly in the collection of Sir John and Lady Witt (sold in Sotheby's, February 19, 1987, lot 339) and another, more finished drawing with additional use of stumping, is in the Thaw Collection, Pierpont Morgan Library, New York (exhibited Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, "Prud'hon," 1998, catalogue number 216).
