Antiques, Collectibles and Fine Art Auction
Lot 64:
Jules Leroy (French, 19th c.), Japonisme Figure, Ink and Watercolor, Signed
Description
A finely executed ink and watercolor drawing depicting a comical elongated figure in Japonisme dress, signed Leroy at the lower right. The work reflects the playful caricatural spirit and Japanese-inspired aesthetics popular in mid-19th-century France.
Details
Artist / Attribution: Jules Leroy (French, active c. 1860-1885)
Title: Japonisme Figure (title descriptive)
Date / Period: Circa 1860-1880
Medium: Ink (encre de Chine) and watercolor on laid paper
Signature: Signed Leroy lower right
Dimensions: Approx. 49.2 × 32.3 cm (sheet)
Condition: Overall toning; edge wear and losses to the lower border; small tears and handling marks consistent with age. Image remains legible and visually engaging.
Catalogue Note
The present drawing is a lively example of French Japonisme as it emerged within caricature and popular illustration during the second half of the 19th century. Following the opening of Japan to the West, Japanese prints, textiles, and costume rapidly influenced French visual culture, particularly among illustrators and satirists drawn to their bold silhouettes, stylized forms, and decorative line.
This work’s elongated proportions, simplified facial features, and patterned robe clearly reference Japanese dress and ukiyo-e aesthetics, while maintaining a distinctly French caricatural sensibility.
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