(Paris 1810–1860)
A romantic couple, “Troubadour”, signed Alfred De Dreux, oil on canvas, 55 x 46 cm, framed, (GG)

Provenance:
European Private Collection.

Catalogued and illustrated in:
Marie-Christine Renaud, Alfred De Dreux: le cheval, passion d’un dandy parisien, AAVP Editions, Paris 1997, p. 54 and 161.
Marie-Christine Renaud, Alfred De Dreux 1810–1860, suivi du catalogue raisonné, Acte Sud, Paris 2008, p. 80 and 106.

Marie-Christine Renauds Inventory-No. 349

Exhibited:
Fondation Mona Bismarck, Alfred De Dreux: le cheval, passion d’un dandy parisien, Paris, 25 February-22 March 1997.

“Troubadour” was painted in 1835-40 at about the time when critics already considered Alfred De Dreux to be one of the most celebrated equestrian painters of the Romantic period, along with Carl Vernet.
Although De Dreux studied with Léon Coigniet, with his uncle Pierre-Joseph De Dreux-Dorcy, a portrait painter, he went on frequent visits to the studio of Théodore Géricault, who had a considerable influence on him. This can indeed be seen in his early Romantic equestrian subjects, such as the present lot. Gericault made several portraits of Alfred De Dreux.

From his debut onwards, he specialized in equestrian portraits. His popularity grew under the reigns of Louis Philippe I and Napoleon III. The artist’s fame was enhanced by the lithographs after his works, which proved to be extremely popular.

The present work, a particularly successful composition of figures and animals in a landscape, perfectly displays the artist’s accomplished technique and his great attention to detail, especially to the horses.