St. Louis Pardoning Five Saracens

Gravelot's study is preparatory for a 1757 engraving by Noel Lemire that illustrates Jean de Joinville's "Histoire de Saint Louis" (Paris : 1761, p. 154). St. Louis is depicted seated with the five “Saracens” (a Christian term for Arab Muslims) kneeling around him at his feet. The Morgan preserves a second design by Gravelot, also engraved by Lemire, for this publication (Acc. No. 1963.13:6). Gravelot used a piece of paper bearing a fragmented draft of a letter along the left edge, beginning, "... prens la liberte de presenter mes respects ... Mr G. cette occasion bien voulu ... [etc.]".