print
- Museum number
- 1856,0308.164
- Title
- Object: Concours pour le Prix de l'Etude des Têtes et de l'Expression
- Description
-
The contest for the best study of heads and expressions, taking place in a room decorated with paintings, drawings and sculpture, with a woman sitting in an armchair on a platform, surrounded by men busy drawing her and three members of the Académie, supposedly, from left to right, Vassé, Caylus and Restout; etched state. 1763
Etching
- Production date
- 1763
- Dimensions
-
Height: 222 millimetres (trimmed)
-
Width: 272 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- The etched state before the added engraving. For the final state see 1979,1006.70.
IFF 126 rejects the traditional identification of the female sitter as actress Mademoiselle Clairon, but follows Emile Dacier in his identifications of the Academicians as Vassé (who picked the theme of the contest in 1761), Caylus (founder of the contest) and Restout (director of the Académie).
The prize was established by Caylus in 1760, and the drawing for this print by Cochin is dated 1761 (now in the Louvre, RF2054). See 'L'Antiquité rêvée', Louvre 2010, cat.16.
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated events
- Associated Event: French Academy of Painting's contest for the best study of heads and expressions 1760-1761
- Acquisition date
- 1856
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1856,0308.164
