3 - Jean-Gabriel Domergue (1889–1962)

Jean-Gabriel Domergue (1889–1962) Venetian Festival, Characters from the Commedia dell’arte, circa 1920–1925; Pencil on paper bearing the artist’s signature stamp in the lower right corner; 107.5 x 67 cm; Condition Report: Framed This large preparatory drawing depicts a group of costumed figures seated on a stone balustrade, evoking the theatrical and festive world of 18th-century Venice. The work attests to Domergue’s graphic virtuosity, built upon an interplay of sinuous, dynamic, and overlapping lines that lend great movement to the composition and the drapery of the fabrics. Among them are classical figures inspired by the “galant” tradition, including a character reminiscent of Pierrot or Scaramouche alongside an elegant woman in a tricorn hat and a masked figure. This large-scale preparatory study, marked by great freedom of execution and exploration of form, illustrates a more hidden aspect of the painter’s studio work, focused on the staging and construction of large decorative compositions.