Charles-Joseph Natoire (Nîmes 1700-1777 Castel Gandolfo, Rome)

Delicately sketched in red chalk, this study is preparatory for the titular figure in Natoire’s L’Eau ou le Triomphe d’Amphitrite (Caviglia-Brunel, op. cit., no. P.56, ill.). It provides an interesting insight into the artist's creative process. In the related painting, the mass she leans upon manifests as a gaping sea monster and a pair of putti joyfully clutch the canopy she holds overhead. A second preparatory study of the entire composition reflects these changes, suggesting that the present work is an earlier version of the scheme (cit., no. D.188, ill.).