Jean-Auguste Dominique Ingres met Charles Marcotte d’Argenteuil (1773–1864) in 1810 in Rome, while he was a pensionnaire at the French Academy in the Villa Medici. Their friendship began with a commission for a portrait intended for Charles’s mother. Over the years, Charles became one of Ingres’s most important patrons, commissioning a series of family portraits of him.

Artcurial presents three previously unseen drawings by Ingres, never offered for sale or revealed to the public. Portrait of Charles Marcotte d’Argenteuil, created a year after their first meeting, symbolizes their exceptional relationship. The artist draws Portrait of Madame Veuve Philippe-Marie-Simon Marcotte, reflecting his attachment to his friend’s mother and Portrait of Madame Charles Marcotte d’Argenteuil just five days before her marriage to Charles.

The March 26th sale will also highlight a collection of ten drawings from the descendants of art dealer and collector Maurice Gobin (1883-1962). As early as 1912, Maurice Gobin developed a passion for drawing and printmaking, and in 1919, he opened his own gallery on Rue Laffitte in Paris. While building his career as a dealer, he also assembled a prestigious personal collection, distinguished by a collector’s mark bearing his initials, applied to the front of selected works. A discerning connoisseur and a specialist in Théodore Géricault, he became a key lender for numerous exhibitions and a respected authority in the field.

Two major artworks by Théodore Géricault and Claude Monet stand out among the highlights of this sale.

A London Horse, a drawing by Théodore Géricault, was created during the artist’s stay in England. This piece, a testament to his lifelong interest in equestrian themes, showcases the artist’s mastery of movement and anatomy, which cemented his reputation.

La mer déchaînée à Étretat, a pastel by Claude Monet, was created around 1868 when the artist settled in Le Havre. This seascape study reflects the profound influence of his friend and mentor Eugène Boudin, who encouraged him to embrace plein air painting. It was during this period that Monet found his true artistic identity, navigating between Delacroix and Courbet –stepping aside from the expressive romanticism of the former while distinguishing himself from the more tangible naturalism of the latter.