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Jacques-André Portail (1695–1759)
Lady Sketching at a Table
Black and red chalk, brush and gray wash, with touches of pink and blue watercolor
10 1/16 x 8 3/8 inches (255 x 212 mm)
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan in 1907; III, 98a
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Trained as an engineer and architect, Portail eventually became dessinateur du roi at Versailles in 1738. Although Portail's drawings are usually executed in a combination of black and red chalks, the present work is enhanced by touches of watercolor, especially noticeable in the young woman's corsage. The drawing is more detailed than other examples of the artist's work and affords a glimpse of the furnishings of a Louis XV room, specifically its mantelpiece and mirror, ornamental sconce, and boiseries. The young woman's pet, a small hound, is curled up on a stool before her.

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