Going Once, Going Twice, Vendu! Ancien Régime Auction Catalogs at Watson Library

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Catalogue de Tableaux des Differentes Écoles . . ., 1778 (Paris: Hôtel d'Aligre), 1

«Watson Library has digitized its collection of eighteenth-century French auction catalogs, which are among the oldest sales catalogs owned by the library. Published mainly in the 1770s and 1780s, these catalogs provide us with a view of the world of art auctions in the decades leading up to the French Revolution. An invaluable source for provenance research, this historical collection also illuminates how artworks were described in an age where auction catalogs were generally devoid of illustrations.»

Many of the catalogs in this collection are heavily annotated by hand. As seen in this sale catalog from March 17, 1778, annotations can include prices, buyers' names, and other information concerning the work of art. For instance, in the below-left image, an annotation accompanies catalog entry number ninety, which lists a seascape in the style of Vernet. The annotation provides the names of the artist and engraver: "by Mettay, engraved by Longueil."

Left: Catalogue de Tableaux, Originaux de Bons Maitres des Trois Écoles . . ., March 17, 1778 (Paris: Hôtel d'Aligre), 15. Right: Catalogue d'une Collection de Tableaux, Dessins, Estampes des Trois Écoles . . ., March 30, 1778 (Paris: Hôtel d'Aligre), 3

Commentary on the works of art are also occasionally added as annotations. For example, notice the annotation at the bottom of the above-right image which reads, "this painting N. 2 is perfect," referring to catalog entry number two, Van Dyck's portrait of Charles I. The annotation may be commenting on the condition of the painting, or other aspects of the work. Commentary can also appear in the catalog entry itself. Indeed, the description of Van Dyck’s portrait on pages three and four of this catalog from March 30, 1778, includes the statement: "This beautiful painting needs no praise."

Though the auction catalogs in this collection are not illustrated, many contain substantial descriptions of the objects for sale. For instance, the example in the below-left image, taken from this 1788 catalog of Italian, Flemish, Dutch, and French paintings (among other objects), includes a vivid description of a painting by Vernet featuring an agitated sea, a vessel dashed upon a rock, and a setting sun. The description also includes the work's dimensions and its provenance.

Left: Catalogue de Tableaux, des Écoles d'Italie, de Flandres, de Hollande et de France . . ., February 18, 1788 (Paris: Chez M. Le Brun), 39; Right: Catalogue d'une Trés-Belle Collection de Tableaux des Écoles d'Italie, de Hollande & de France . . ., March 12, 1782 (Paris: Hôtel de Bullion), 9

The example on the above-right, from a 1782 sale catalog, is a description of a painting by Rubens of a seated woman seen in three-quarter view, her gaze directed at the spectator. The catalog entry suggests that she might be Hagar in the desert, based on the expression and action of the figure, as well as the presence of an empty bottle or jug in the foreground. Other representations of Hagar can be explored in the Museum's collection.

Some of the auction catalogs also include a prefatory explanation of the contents of the catalog and their arrangement, as well as other useful information. This catalog of prints, for instance, includes a list of abbreviations (below-left) used to indicate various aspects of a work, such as "t.g.p." for "très-grande pièce," or a very large work. Notice the abbreviation "r." for "rare" in the entry for Albert Dürer's wood engraving La Trinité on page nineteen of the catalog (below-right).

Left: Collection d'Estampes Précieuses et Rares . . ., [March 5, 1781; March 18, 1782; April 24, 1786] (Marseille: Chez le sieur G. Michel), 17. Right: Collection d'Estampes Précieuses et Rares . . ., [March 5, 1781; March 18, 1782; April 24, 1786] (Marseille: Chez le sieur G. Michel ), 19

As seen in the below-left image, this same catalog has a note at the end of its preface on page sixteen which reads, "We will not sell any part of this collection separately," expressing the seller's intent to keep the collection together as a whole. The note also indicates that the sale catalog can be obtained at the "Cabinet littéraire" of Mr. Michel on the rue Saint-Ferréol in Marseille, where the sale will occur.

Left: Collection d'Estampes Précieuses et Rares . . ., [March 5, 1781; March 18, 1782; April 24, 1786] (Marseille: Chez le sieur G. Michel ), 16. Right: Suite et Supplément au Catalogue de M. le Duc de CH ***, Suivi de la Feuille de Distribution . . ., December 10, 1787 (Paris: Chez M. Le Brun), 1

Lastly, you will notice, as in the image on the above-right, that several of the auction catalogs in this collection are authored by the French dealer, collector, writer, and painter Jean-Baptiste-Pierre Le Brun. It may interest you to know that J. B. P. Le Brun was the great-nephew of Charles Le Brun and the husband of Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, both of whose works are represented in the Museum's collection. In fact, last year, the Museum acquired Charles Le Brun's monumental painting Everhard Jabach (1618–1695) and His Family. This work is currently undergoing conservation in the Museum's Sherman Fairchild Center for Paintings Conservation, but you can read about it in a series of exciting posts on Now at the Met.

We hope you will enjoy exploring this historical collection and discovering additional treasures within its pages.