Artcurial to Auction Rediscovered Antoine-Jean Gros Drawing of Napoleon Bonaparte from 1796
Artcurial will offer a preparatory drawing by Antoine-Jean Gros of General Bonaparte capturing the Bridge of Arcole on November 15, 1796, in its Old Master & 19th Century Drawings auction. The work was executed on December 7, 1796, in Milan during a brief sitting arranged by Joséphine de Beauharnais and served as a study for the painting now held at the Palace of Versailles. It passed directly from Gros to painter Vincenzo Camuccini and has remained in his family until its rediscovery.
The Signal
The drawing's appearance at auction highlights the continued market interest in early Napoleonic imagery and the foundational role of Gros in French Romanticism. Collectors and institutions tracking Old Master works will note its documented provenance and direct connection to the Italian campaign that shaped Bonaparte's legend.
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- Artists: Antoine-Jean Gros
- People: Joséphine de Beauharnais, Vincenzo Camuccini
- Auction Houses: Artcurial
- Museums: Palace of Versailles
- Locations: Paris
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