Lot 16: Thomas-Charles Naudet (1773-1810)

a. Three peasant women and a child, one seated and holding a distaff
inscribed in brown ink on the verso: Dessine Dapres Nature a Rome par Thomas Charles/ Naudet Elleve de hubert Robert peintre du Roy Louis 16
watercolour over a pencil underdrawing
87 x 148mm
b. A peasant family, with a mother and child seated on a donkey
partially inscribed in brown ink on the verso: Dessin a Rome dapres nature par Thomas
watercolour over pencil underdrawing
87 x 148mm
(a pair)

In a hand-written inscription on the first drawing, Nauded added a reminder of his affiliation as a pupil to Hubert Robert (1733-1808). It was not from him, however, that Naudet would have developed his talent in drawing figures; Diderot's relentless criticism of Robert's figure drawing suggests a certain unease in the discipline. As these two drawings testify, Naudet, on the contrary, could demonstrate ease and confidence in drawing figures from life. However, he was better known for his landscapes paintings - and gouaches - as well as his engravings. Naudet presented his works at the Salon regularly, between 1795 and his death, in 1810. The charm of Naudet's drawings was very much appreciated by contemporary collectors such as Dominique Vivant-Denon or the Danish amateur T.C. Bruun Neergaard, whom Naudet accompanied on several travels on the Continent. In the posthumous sale of Naudet's personal collection, reference is made to two lots of the artist's own drawings: "Quatre petits porte-feuilles contenant environ cent cinquante etudes et croquis d'apres nature: a la plume et lave au bistre et a l'encre" and "Treize petit Volumes de croquis, paysages et figures dessinees d'apres nature". Finally, it is of interest to note that Naudet's figure style is remarkably close to his younger contemporary living in Rome, Batolomeo Pinelli.