CARPEAUX JEAN-BAPTISTE: (1827-1875)

CARPEAUX JEAN-BAPTISTE: (1827-1875) French sculptor and painter. A fine original pen and ink drawing executed by Carpeaux to the centre of an oblong 8vo sheet of paper, n.p., n.d., the charming image depicting full-length figure studies of three female nudes standing together in various poses. With the small red ink artist´s studio stamp (Lugt 500) to the lower edge. To the verso appear fifteen lines of autograph text by Carpeaux, in pencil, evidently a transcription from a book relating to Napoleon´s military expedition to Egypt, and the arrival of his troops at the Nile, in part, `... A la vue du Nil et de cette... si désirée, les soldats s´y précipitèrent, et en se baignant dans les flots oublièrent toutes leurs fatigues - La division Desaix, qui de l´avant-garde était passée à l´arrière-garde, vit galopper devant elle deux ou trois cents Mameluksqu´elle dispersa avec quelques volées de mitraille. Les soldats eurent des nouvelles souffrances... mais ils longeaient le Nil et pouvaient s´y baigner tous les soirs...´ (Translation: " At the sight of the Nile and this... so desired, the soldiers rushed into it, and by bathing in the waves forgot all their fatigue - The Desaix division, which from the vanguard had gone to the rear-guard, saw two or three hundred Mamelukes galloping in front of them, which they dispersed with a few volleys of grapeshot. The soldiers had new sufferings... but they went along the Nile and could bathe there every evening...´). Together with an A.L.S., Carpeaux, by Amelie Carpeaux, wife of the sculptor, to the recto and verso of her personal printed small oblong 12mo Visiting Card, featuring her printed name ( ´Madame J. B. Carpeaux´) to the centre, n.p., n.d., to an official, in French, ´en souvenir de votre bonne visite à l´atelier de Carpeaux voudriez-vous bien vous intéresser à la pauvre femme qui vous remettra cette carte - Sa petite [mot indéchiffrable] qu´on lui a fait fermer était sa seule ressource. Et si je ne la cconnaissais, elle ne mangerait pas tous les jours. Merci de ce cque vous voudrez bien faire. Je serais heureuse de vous recevoir... en avant que la derniere fois - à votre convenance´ (Translation: ´ in memory of your good visit to the Carpeaux workshop, would you please take some interest in the poor woman who will give you this card - Her small [indecipherable word] which they made her close was her only resource. And if I didn't know her, she wouldn't eat every day. Thank you for what you will be able to do. I would be happy to receive you... sooner than last time - at your convenience´). The page featuring the drawings with one small stain to the upper left corner, very slightly irregularly trimmed to the lower edge and with remains of guard to the left edge of the verso, none of which affect the image. About VG, 2