Dubost (Antoine). A View of Newmarket and the Life of the Race Horse, 1818 * Dubost (Antoine). A Collection of Eleven Plates, executed in lithography, representing a View of Newmarket and the Life of the Race Horse. Paris: J. Smith for the author, 1818, letterpress title in English and French, lithographic frontispiece (a few closed marginal tears), 8 lithographic plates (of 10), accompanying text leaves (describing plates I-X plus 'addition' leaf), lightly dust-soiled (mostly confined to margins), a few faint marginal damp-stains, some fraying, disbound, elephant folio (68 x 50 cm) QTY: (21) NOTE: Mellon/Podeschi 106. Scarce early lithographs of racehorses, based upon Dubost's paintings of 1809.
Antoine DUBOST Lyon, 1769 - Paris, 1825 La belle et la bête : allégorie satyrique de Thomas Hope et de son épouse Louisa Huile sur panneau, renforcé au verso Signé et localisé 'DUBOST / LONDON' en bas à gauche sur le couvercle du coffre Beauty and the Beast, oil on panel, signed, by A. Dubost h: 65,50 w: 52,50 cm Provenance : Acquis auprès d'un antiquaire des Batignolles par la mère de l'actuel propriétaire, probablement dans les années 1950 ; Collection particulière, Paris Commentaire : Il est des découvertes qui rendent notre métier des plus savoureux. Lorsque nous fumes contactés il y a quelques mois pour venir examiner chez un amateur un portait allégorique de l'amiral Nelson et de sa maîtresse, nous ne pouvions deviner que nous allions découvrir une des plus fascinantes histoires de la peinture satyrique. Un rapide examen de l'œuvre nous fit découvrir sur le couvercle du coffre en bas à gauche la signature 'DUBOST / LONDON' et dès lors le magnifique article de Richard E. Spear publié en 2006 dans le 'Burlington Magazine'1 nous offrit tous les croustillants détails de l'affaire qui opposa en 1810 Antoine Dubost à Thomas Hope. Thomas Hope, marchand hollandais arrivé à Londres en 1795 pour fuir l'invasion française, grand collectionneur, designer et promoteur du style Greek Revival2, acquiert auprès du peintre Antoine Dubost récemment établi à Londres un de ses chef-d 'œuvres : Damoclès. La toile (récemment redécouverte à Bombay en Inde) peinte en 1804, tire un excellent parti d'une iconographie rare et expose toutes les leçons apprises dans l'atelier de David mais avec des innovations et un style qui nous font regretter une production trop rare chez l'artiste d'origine lyonnaise d'abord formé chez Vincent. Les fortes personnalités des protagonistes contribuent pour beaucoup à la naissance d'une relation extrêmement conflictuelle qui occupera les tribunaux londoniens, les journalistes mais aussi les plus grandes personnalités du monde de l'art britannique qui seront appelées à prendre parti à l'affaire : Benjamin West, Henry Fuseli, Thomas Lawrence, Lord Baron… A la naissance du conflit, la somme promise de 1.500 guinées pour l'acquisition du Damoclès ne fut honorée qu'à hauteur de 800 guinées. Puis, remettant en doute la paternité de l'œuvre, le collectionneur efface la signature de l'artiste et diminue le format du tableau en réduisant la toile en haut et en bas. Enfin une commande du portait de Madame Hope et de ses enfants ne fut pas réalisée… La relation entre les deux hommes était empoisonnée tant et si bien que le peintre fit figurer un tableau " explosif " lors de son exposition sur Pall Mall en 1810. Intitulé " Beauty and the Beast ", le portrait satyrique représentait Thomas Hope sous des traits simiesques déversant son or à sa belle épouse. Le conte français La Belle et la Bête, popularisé par Madame de Villeneuve (1744) et Madame Leprince de Beaumont (1759) puis mis en musique par André Grégory dans 'Zémire et Azor' (1771), faisait ici l'objet d'une interprétation qui ne dupa personne. Le jour même du vernissage de l'exposition tout Londres était au courant et Thomas Hope ne tarda pas à porter l'affaire en justice. Mais la loi du talion est parfois plus efficace que la justice des tribunaux et le frère de Mrs. Hope, le révérend John Beresford, se rendit le 20 juin 1810 chez Dubost et lacéra la toile en morceaux. Les suites de cette affaire sont merveilleusement détaillées (fortune des procès, retour chaotique en France du peintre… et enfin mort tragique lors d'un duel) dans l'article de Richard E. Spear. Mais ce qui nous intéresse encore plus ici est le précieux témoignage que constitue notre panneau, riccordo précieux d'un tableau ambitieux et fourmillant de détails savoureux. La scène se déroule dans la pièce de l'Aurore (Aurora Room), un des sommets du goût nouveau scénographié avec soin par Thomas Hope dans sa résidence de Duchess Street. Dans son recueil de design contemporain3 publié en 1807 Thomas Hope illustre cette pièce, tabernacle de ses multiples créations et du groupe de John Flaxman4, 'Céphale enlevé par Aurore' (fig. 1 et 2). Sommet du goût Greek Revival, cette pièce est reconstituée au Victoria & Albert Museum de Londres. Dans La Belle et la Bête, les traits de Thomas Hope sont parfaitement identifiables ainsi que ceux de son épouse, un crâne posé dans l'angle inférieur droite sert de vanité pour rappeler que la mort est la finalité inexorable de toute existence et le poème en bas à gauche, partiellement lisible5, renforce la lecture du sujet. Une question se pose : à quel moment l'artiste a-t-il peint ce riccordo ? À Londres après que sa toile fut lacérée ? Ou à Paris après son retour en janvier 1813 comme il est plus aisé de le penser en raison des difficultés que l'artiste eut à récupérer l'ensemble de ses bagages de Londres ? A qui était-il destiné ? Est-il en tout point semblable à la toile détruite ? Voilà quelques questions qu'il reste à résoudre. 1. R. E. Spear, " Antoine Dubost's 'Sword of Damoclès' and Thomas Hope : An Anglo-French Skirmish", in 'The Burlington Magazine', août 2006, vol. 148, n°1241, p. 520-527. 2. Le catalogue de l'exposition 'Thomas Hope, Regency Designer', Londres, Victoria & Albert Museum, 21 mars-22 juin 2008, puis New York, The Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design, and Culture, 17 juillet-16 novembre 2008 est une somme importante sur la connaissance de cet important designer. 3. Th. Hope, 'Household Furniture and Interior Décoration from Designs by Thomas Hope', Londres, 1807, pl. VII. 4. 'Céphale enlevé par Aurore', marbre blanc, vers 1789-1792, Liverpool, National Museum Lady Lever Art Gallery, LL713. 5. " Welcome Beauty / Bannish fear / You are quenn And / Mistress here / Speak your wishes / …/ Weet Still. " Estimation 15 000 - 20 000 €
DUBOST, Antoine Newmarket. Collection d'onze planches lithographiques, représentant la vue de Newmarket, et la vie du cheval de course depuis l'instant où il est dans le haras jusqu'à celui de sa vente [...]. A collection of eleven plates, executed in lithography [...]. Paris Chez l'Auteur 1818 Large folio oblong: 11 text ff. and 11 lithogr. (dampstaining on the upper margins, tear in blank margin of text f. 10, overall some min. spotting). Contemp. half cloth with corners over patterned boards, unfresh binding (spine def.). Very nice copy. First edition of Dubost's rare and intriguing series of lithographs of Newmarket. Complete with front. and 10 very early black & white lithographed plates by Dubost after his paintings made at Newmarket in 1809. "Le dessin n'est pas sans mérite, le modèle des chevaux est bien choisi et correctement rendu. Quelques-uns sont irréprochables et on voit que Dubost avait consciencieusement étudié le cheval" (Mennessier de la Lance). The plates are accompanied with a parallel title and text in French and English. It is mentioned on the front. pl. that the work includes portraits of "the most celebrated running horses in 1809" whilst also showing "the life of the race horse from the moment of his entering the stud till that of his being put up to auction". Dubost owned and rode horses in a number of important races himself. As such, he was able to concentrate on both painting and racing of horses. After a period in the French army, Dubost went to England in 1806. There, attracted by the high quality of racing in Newmarket, he painted 12 canvases on which the present print series is based. In 1825 he became involved in a dispute over "un pavillon" with his architect neighbour which culminated in a tragic duel during which both protagonists were killed. Our copy does not include the 2-leaf "Addition" (in French only), probably a separate publication, sometimes found with the work (Mennessier de la Lance). Ref. Dejager 719 (= Podechi 106, Snelgrove 70, Buckley 45). - Mennessier de la Lance I:413. - BnF.
DUBOST, Antoine (1769-1825). A Collection of Eleven Plates, executed in lithography, representing a View of Newmarket and the Life of the Race Horse. Paris: J. Smith for the author, 1818. Elephant oblong 2° (505 x 670mm). Parallel letterpress title and text in French and English. Lithographic frontispiece and 10 lithographic plates by Dubost. (Title lightly soiled, occasional light spotting and soiling to text leaves and plates' margins.) Modern blue half morocco, lettered in gilt on cover and spine. FIRST EDITION. DUBOST'S RARE SERIES OF LITHOGRAPHS OF NEWMARKET, which includes portraits of a number of thoroughbreds descended from the Godolphin arabian. The frontispiece states that the plates include portraits of the 'most celebrated running horses in 1809', whilst also showing the 'life of the race horse from the moment of his entering the stud till that of his being put up for auction'. Dubost, thanks to a substantial private income, was able to concentrate on both the painting and racing of horses. A friend and contemporary of Carle Vernet, he studied in Paris under Vincent whilst also owning and riding horses in a number of important races. After a period in the French army he went to England in 1806, apparently attracted by the lure of Newmarket and the high quality of the racing, and in 1809 he painted the twelve canvases on which the present series of prints are based. The present copy includes the 2-leaf 'Addition' (in French only), which was probably a separate publication and is sometimes lacking (cf. the Gloucester-Mellon copy, without the 'Addition'). Only 3 other copies of the work are recorded at auction by ABPC online since 1946. Mellon/Podeschi 106; Mennessier de la Lance I, pp. 413-4.
DUBOST, Antoine (1769-1825). Newmarket, Collection d'onze planches lithographiques... A Collection of Eleven Plates, Executed in Lithography; Representing a View of Newmarket and the Life of the Race Horse. Paris: J. Smith for the author, 1818. 2° (495 x 340mm). Parallel letterpress title and text in French and English. Hand-coloured lithographic frontispiece and 10 plates by Dubost. (Lacking text leaf 10, French title with neat marginal repairs, some variable spotting.) Contemporary half cloth over patterned boards, spine ruled and titled in gilt (rebacked and recornered, original spine laid down, a little rubbed). FIRST EDITION. DUBOST'S RARE SERIES OF LITHOGRAPHS OF NEWMARKET, which includes portraits of a number of thoroughbreds descended from the Godolphin arabian. The frontispiece states that the plates include portraits of the 'most celebrated running horses in 1809', whilst also showing the 'life of the race horse from the moment of his entering the stud till that of his being put up for auction'. Dubost, thanks to a substantial private income, was able to concentrate on both the painting and racing of horses. A friend and contemporary of Carle Vernet, he studied in Paris under Vincent whilst also owning and riding horses in a number of important races. After a period in the French army he went to England in 1806, apparently attracted by the lure of Newmarket and the high quality of the racing, and in 1809 he painted the twelve canvases on which the present series of prints are based. Finally returning to France in 1813, he continued to paint and exhibit genre and allegorical works. In 1825 he became involved in a dispute over 'un pavillon' with his architect neighbour, which reached a tragic conclusion with a duel on 6 September during which both protagonists were killed. Although Newmarket was originally issued loose in an oblong folio format, the present set has been bound in upright folio format, and does not include the 2-leaf 'Addition' (in French only), which was probably a separate publication and is sometimes found bound with the work (cf. the Gloucester-Mellon copy, without the 'Addition'). Only one other copy of the work is recorded at auction by ABPC since 1975. Mellon/Podeschi 106; Mennessier de la Lance I, pp. 413-4.
*ANTOINE DUBOST (FRENCH, 1769-1825) LE RETOUR D'HELENE signed in Greek (center right edge) oil on canvas 51 1/2 by 75 5/8 in. 130.8 by 192.1 cm. Helene, the daughter of Zeus and Leda, was married to Menelaus when she was seduced by Paris and taken to Troy. Thus began the Trojan War, which lasted for ten years. The present lot depicts an episode at the end of the war, when Helene and Menelaus are reunited and return to Sparta. Dubost was a painter of mythological scenes, as well as a printmaker. He is part of the tradition of Neo-classical French artists, who were influenced by a revival of Antiquity which began with the rediscovery of Pompeii and Herculaeum in the mid-Eighteenth century, and reached its pictorial apogee in the works of Jacques-Louis David. Dubost's Le Retour de Helene reflects the prevailing taste of this period. He has composed the figures in a dramatic frieze-like composition, and included such Antique motifs as the palmettes on the chariot, Antique dress and a classical column in the left of the composition. The earlier emphasis on political and imperial themes in Neoclassical art which were championed during the French Revolution and reign of Napoleon, give way to a more romantic episode in the present lot, although it is depicted with equal grandeur.
