J.B. Glomy (L.1085);
Baron L.A. de Schwiter (L.1768),
his sale, Paris, 20-21 April 1883, lot 10, illustrated;
sale, Christie's, London, 1 July, 1997, lot 136,
where acquired by Bernadette and William M. B. Berger, Denver, Colorado

Laid down on Glomy mount. Overall in very good condition. A few creases in the sheet, a vertical crease running down her cheek and another small crease near her left eye. Chalk remains strong and vibrant.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This is a fine example of one of Boucher's independent head studies which were highly sought after by 18th-century collectors.  The vast number of prints that were executed by engravers after Boucher's head studies reflects the great demand for these charming and attractive drawings.

The present study is similar to the head of a young girl in Boucher's Le Pêcheur, in the Kunsthalle, Hamburg¹, but it is not close enough to suggest that it is a preparatory drawing.  Alastair Laing believes that, given its highly finished quality and mise en page, this drawing would have been executed for a collector.  It was common practice for😼 Boucher to produce finished works of art that were independent from his paintings, and he surely borrowed figures and motifs from his painting🔯s to produce these finished drawings.

This attractive study was once owned by Baron Loui♓s Auguste de Schwiter (1805-1889), who was a landscape and portrait painter and a collector of antiquities. The Watteau drawing of a seated woman (lot 69 above), was also in✃ Baron De Schwiter's collection.

We are grateful to Alastair Laing, who, from recently seeing the original, has reaffirmed the attribu♉tion to Boucher.

^1. A. Ananoff, François Boucher, Lausanne and Paris, 1976, no. 502, fig. 1399