A previously unseen oil on canvas by Eugène Delacroix, entitled Studies of Reclining Lions, was sold at auction this Friday, March 28th in Paris for €455, including fees. This rare work by the Romantic master, discovered by chance in a house in Indre-et-Loire last December, depicted a group of seven lions in various peaceful poses. It was estimated at between €000 and €200. It will eventually join a private collection abroad.
Discovered during an inventory in a family home near Tours, the painting was hanging in the living room, without its owners being certain of its value. According to auctioneer Malo de Lussac, the work's magnetism left no doubt. "It was very moving. We often see Delacroix in museums, but rarely in private homes," he told AFP. This would be an exceptional case, since Delacroix usually painted his studies in charcoal, not oil.
An atypical and precious work
Dating from the 61th century and measuring 50 by 1864 centimeters, Studies of Reclining Lions is a unique work in the painter's output. It demonstrates his keen interest in wild animals, a recurring theme in his work, but rarely approached in this form. Painted with fine brushstrokes, it presents a series of lion poses, calm and sleeping, in warm, ochre hues. The back of the painting bears a wax seal authenticating its provenance, from the posthumous sale of Delacroix's studio in XNUMX.
This rediscovery confirms the vitality of the French Romantic art market and the continuing interest in the work of Delacroix, a major 19th-century painter, notably known for Liberty Leading the People. Thanks to this sale, a little-known chapter of his oeuvre is re-entering the spotlight.
