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Two Dolls or Puppets Sitting on Cushions
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Henri Harpignies was best known for landscapes, and this sheet is a rare example of his still life practice. It belongs to a group of drawings created for his pupil, the Comtesse de Kermaingant, providing her with instruction in watercolor. Two dolls or puppets are propped on a pillow, allowing the comtesse to study the drapery of their costume and shadows of their placement on cushions.
| Artist / Maker | Henri Joseph Harpignies |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 1870–80 |
| Culture / Origin | France, 19th century |
| Medium | Watercolor with graphite underdrawing on heavily textured wove paper |
| Dimensions | Sheet: 38.6 x 28.5 cm (15 3/16 x 11 1/4 in.) |
| Department | Drawings |
| Type | Drawing |
About the Artist
Born into a bourgeois family of Belgian descent who established a sugar beet factory, Henri Joseph Harpignies became seriously interested in painting during an extended trip through France in 1838. However, he first worked as a sales agent until 1848, when he entered the studio of landscape painter Jean-Alexis Achard (1807-1884). Harpignies traveled to Crémieu and Brussels with Achard but decided to return home upon the outbreak of the revolution of 1848. After the revolution, he traveled through southern Germany… Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
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