Jean-Baptiste Pillement, French 1728-1808- Two sheets of studies of seated female figures; each pencil and black chalk on blue/green coloured paper, each bears lettering (lower left), possibly the artist's initials, each 20 x 25 cm., two (2)...

Jean-Baptiste Pillement, French 1728-1808- Two sheets of studies of seated female figures; each pencil and black chalk on blue/green coloured paper, each bears lettering (lower left), possibly the artist's initials, each 20 x 25 cm., two (2). Provenance: With Thomas Agnew & Sons, London [Nos 47411 & 47412] until 1985.; Anon. sale, Sotheby's, London, 20 Sept. 2019, lot 546. Exhibited: London, Thomas Agnew & Sons, 'Old Master Drawings & Sculpture', 13 Nov. - 20 Dec. 1985, nos 37 and 44. Note: Pillement's oeuvre is predominantly composed of illustrations of human figures, fantastic birds, flora & fauna, and chinoiserie. He often worked with print makers and his designs frequently used by engravers and decorators on porcelain, pottery, textiles, wallpaper and silver. He had an unusually cosmopolitan career, living and working in France (at the Gobelin Factory, Paris), Spain, Portugal (as First Painter to King Joseph), England, Austria (at the Imperial Court of Maria Theresa and Francis I), Poland (at the Royal Castle, and Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw), Russia, and Italy. He later returned to France and was employed by Marie Antoinette.