Rops, from Belgium, sells on 16 June 2019 a "Baron Gros" Battle of Lodi, estimated at 160 to 240 Euro.
This work, which supposedly is an oil sketch by Antoine-Jean Gros (1771-1835), pupil of David and a very important classicist French painter in his own right. Despite the ugly tear at the upper left (at the top of the mountain), it is a remarkably low estimate for a work by this painter..
Certainly when compared with the estimate it had last year, when it was for sale at the important
Accademia auction in Monaco (but with a Belgian collection), an auction I commented on at the time (but not about this painting). It was then described as "French School, 18th century, attributed to Gros", with an estimate of 15,000 to 20,000 Euro!! Oh, and it didn't have that tear then...
So, a much firmer attribution now, for one hundredth of the price, but with serious (but reparable) damage... I have found no references to a finished painting by Gros with this subject.
It is obvious that this was and is considered as a fake. "Attributed to". It is dumped in a "regional" auction room.
ReplyDeleteResult confirms my feeling. At best a follower of Gros. At worst a fake.
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ReplyDeleteSold for 550€.
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