ANCIENT & MODERN DRAWINGS

AUCTIONS OF OLD AND MODERN DRAWINGS

Antique drawings are an infinite maze of attributions, a crucible of recognition to be forged simply by glancing at a nervous line, a density of ink or a trait of character.
Intuition is king, but skill is required at every stage.

Do you own a drawing? Whether antique or modern, our team of experts, specialists and auctioneers puts its skills at your disposal through a department dedicated to drawing sales.

The Old Master and Modern Drawings department has been under the management of Ludivine Pladepousaux for over 5 years, supported by the historic firm of expert De Bayser.

 

Auction department specialising in old and modern drawings

Drawings are a particular speciality: often unsigned, the artist's hand must be recognised through the delicacy of a line, the finesse and quality of an ink, a character trait typical of a character, etc. An intuition must be verified through expert research.

The department's experts are on the lookout for the hand behind your work: François Boucher, Jacques Louis David, Paul Prud'hon, Jean Baptiste Greuze and Hubert Robert are some of the great names. But the work may also come from a follower, a pupil or a workshop. The line, whether pencil, charcoal, pastel, graphite or pastel, also determines the location: German, Northern, Italian or French school.

The Ancient and Modern Drawings department authenticates, appraises and values works from the 16th to the 19th centuries, a vast field that requires in-depth research.

Millon Italia, headed by Vittorio Preda, is also one of our specialist branches for antique drawings.

 

Drawings auction calendar

The Old Master and Modern Drawings department organises four major events each year, with sales taking place at Drouot and Salle VV in particular. The auctioneer presents each work and bids for it with the hammer. These sales can also be held online.

At these auctions, the great masters can be found alongside unknowns whose style and subject matter move people. Each work undergoes a process of identification, photography, presentation, etc

You will find drawings by Durer, Goya, William Blake, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, Eugène Delacroix, Honoré Daumier, Théodore Géricault, Jean Baptiste Greuze, Rubens, Rembrandt, Jean Honoré Fragonard, Edgar Degas, Jean François Millet, Le Bergamasque, Giacomo Serpotta, Francesco Allegrini, Willem van de Velde, Nicolas Chapuy, William Thornley, Jérôme Rascalon, Narcisse Diaz de la Pena, Pierre Peyron, Louis Léopold Boilly..

From time to time, the Old Master and Modern Drawings department also offers monographic sales, such as the Hansi sale in June 2023.

Our experts are committed to satisfying the needs of collectors and art lovers alike, and also to showcasing works discovered through inheritance or from collections.

 

A diverse range of drawings, with some fine results

All subjects are represented in the sales of the Old Master and Modern Drawings department: from portraits of young women to old men, from sketches of landscapes to preparatory studies for major works. A simple sketch can raise the bidding if there is a master hand behind it.

• A drawing by Joseph Vernet, Vue de Posillipo, sold for €19,000 after an estimate of €10,000 to €15,000. It came from the collection of Baron Raynouard and had already been presented at auction several times. The sheet comes from a drawing album containing views of Rome and Naples. Many views from the album are currently in public and private collections in the United States and Europe.
• At €32,000, a work by Jean Baptiste Greuze, a pupil of Natoire, attracted collectors. This sanguine, depicting the head of a pensive young girl, turned to the right and wearing a bonnet, seems to have been captured on the spot.
• Unsigned early drawings also feature prominently. For example, a 17th-century French school drawing, pen and brown ink, sold for €18,000. This Louis XIII au combat du Pont-de-Cé depicts the King on horseback. It shattered its estimate of €600-800.
• A great master, Jacob Jordaens, fetched 85,000 euros for his study of Christ descended from the cross. This work, in black pencil, red chalk and gouache watercolour highlights, is a preparatory study for the work in the Kunsthalle in Hamburg. This drawing comes from the Pierre Crozat collection, established by Mariette.
• Europe, a drawing of a nude young woman, sold for €20,000. This work by Gustave Moreau is done in black pencil, signed at the bottom of the sheet and titled. The drawing is a preparatory work for a watercolour in the Musée de Rouen.

 

Services

The Old and Modern Drawings auction department is always ready to listen to collectors wishing to build up or sell a collection.

It also works hand in hand with the inventory department, providing expert advice on the valuation of works discovered through inheritance.

Like all of Millon's sales departments, the experts, specialists, directors and clerks in these departments welcome your requests for estimates. These are free and confidential.

Our teams, who have been trained in the auction market for many years, can also offer you advice on how to sell your works at the best price.