Charles-Antoine Coypel – Rediscovery of a Drawing by the First Painter to the King

Appointed First Painter to King Louis XV in 1747, Charles-Antoine Coypel was one of the leading artistic figures of his time. He also served as Keeper of the King’s Paintings and Drawings, as well as director and curator of the royal collections. Born into a dynasty of painters, he was the grandson of Noël Coypel and the son of Antoine Coypel, under whom he trained. A history painter, he also distinguished himself as one of the finest portraitists of his era.

While the Salon du Dessin is in full swing at the Palais Brongniart, the Old Masters department of Aguttes will be pleased to present an unpublished drawing by Charles Coypel. This preparatory work is related to a major composition that resurfaced during the exhibition Les peintres du roi 1648-1793 (Paris, 2000, p. 265, no. R. 284) and is cited in Thierry Lefrançois' catalog (Charles Coypel 1694-1752, Paris, Arthéna, 1994, p. 237, pp. 337-338). Depicting The Sacrifice of Abraham, the final composition has a counterpart featuring Abraham Preparing the Sacrifice of Isaac.


Charles-Antoine Coypel
Paris 1694 - 1752
The Sacrifice of Abraham
Black chalk and white chalk
39 x 31,4 cm

PROVENANCE
Private collection , France

The drawing presents some variations compared to the painting, particularly in the right leg of the angel and the hands of Abraham, his son, and the angel. There are also pentimenti, where the ink wash does not follow an initial black chalk outline that was later scraped away. Perhaps even more than in a painting, one can trace the artist’s creative process and thought progression for a deeper understanding of the final composition.

This exquisite sheet will be offered for sale on April 1 as part of a session dedicated to Old Masters and 19th-century works. The graphic arts section will also showcase pieces by Eugène Delacroix, François-Marius Granet, and Jean-Baptiste Isabey. The painting section will highlight Nicolas Poussin, Pierre Parrocel, Dirck van Delen, Jean-Baptiste and Louis-Michel Van Loo, François Sablet, and Ernest Charton.

Public Exhibition
164 bis, avenue Charles-de-Gaulle, 92200 Neuilly-sur-seine
Saturday, March 29: 11 AM – 5 PM
Monday, March 31: 10 AM – 6 PM
Tuesday, April 1: 10 AM – 12 PM

Exhibition by appointment from March 17 to March 28, excluding weekends.

Upcoming Auction
Old Masters
Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at 2:30 PM