faune drawing french school 17th/18th century

An antique drawing (17th/18th century) depicting a young faun or satyr asleep, lying on his side with his face buried in the crook of his arm. He clutches a heavy garland of grapes, an allusion to the realm of Bacchus.

265mm x 415mm Frame 42 cm x 56,5 cm

Executed in black chalk or charcoal, with stumping (smudging) to create soft shadows, and white highlights (chalk or gouache) to define the light; drawn on laid paper with a watermark.

The style is reminiscent of studies of *putti* from the French School—in the tradition of François Boucher and his followers, or perhaps in the manner of Carle Van Loo or Jean-Baptiste Huet.

Features an antique mount: a double black border with a green wash band—a style of presentation (known as an "English-style" or "French-style" mount) typical of 18th-century drawing collections.