Jean-Baptiste-Henri Deshays (Colville 1729-1765 Paris)

The loose yet confident use of wash combined with white heightening to render the figures is characteristic for the artist and can be seen in many of his drawings. A particularly close comparison can be found in a drawing of Danaë in the Louvre (inv. 26208). Another drawing by Deshays, again in the Louvre and also showing Danaë, bears an inscription 'Deshaijs' by the same hand as that on the present sheet (inv. 26202).