Simon-Joseph-Alexandre-Clément Denis, Flemish 1755-1812- View of the roofs of an...

Simon-Joseph-Alexandre-Clément Denis,
Flemish 1755-1812-

View of the roofs of an Italian town;

black chalk and grey wash on paper, signed with initial 'D' (on the reverse), 14.6 x 20.3 cm.

Provenance:
Anon. sale, Sotheby's, Monaco, 19 June 1992 (part).
Private Collection, Menorca.

Note:
Denis arrived in Rome in 1786 under the sponsorship of the painter and art dealer, Jean-Baptiste Le Brun (1748-1813), and would remain in Italy for the rest of his life. The artist is known to have visited Tivoli in 1789 and 1793. His earlier trip is described by Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun (1755-1842), who was escorted by Denis and François Ménageot, director of the French Academy in Rome: 'M. Ménageot then accompanied me to Tivoli with my daughter, and Denis, the painter - it was a charming party. We first visited the Cascades, which enchanted me so much the gentlemen could hardly induce me to leave.' (Souvenirs of Madame Vigée Le Brun, M. F. Tyler, ed., New York 1879, p.136).