Pierre-Charles Le Mettay (1726-1759) - Reclining female nude

Pierre-Charles Le Mettay (1726-1759)
Reclining female nude with her legs out and looking up to the right

Black chalk with stumping, heightened with white, on blue paper
25.5 x 36.5 cm

Inscribed Boucher (bottom left)

Provenance:
Dennis Molnar (1920-2017), Vancouver
Gerald Bronfman (1911-1986) and Marjorie Bronfman, née Schechter (1917-2012), Montreal
Corinne Bronfman (1947-2022), Washington DC
Private collection, France

Pierre-Charles Le Mettay, a pupil of the great master François Boucher, is distinguished by his works filled with sensitivity and elegance, typical of the 18th-century Rococo style. This drawing depicts a nude woman, reclining and looking upwards—a sensual and delicate pose that reflects the aesthetic standards of that time. Although the inscription "Boucher" appears on the work, it has been suggested by Alastair Laing that this drawing is by Pierre-Charles Le Mettay, a talented yet little-known artist who worked under Boucher's influence.

Le Mettay, who unfortunately passed away prematurely at the age of 33, left behind only a few documented works. Nonetheless, this drawing demonstrates mastery of line and an attention to detail, attesting to the training received under Boucher. The way the body's curves and the expression on the woman's face are rendered is reminiscent of the sensual and refined compositions of his master. The choice of subject also aligns with the tradition of mythological painting, where themes of love and beauty were often explored through female nude figures.

The work echoes certain representations of Danaë, notably those found in the Wallace Collection. The attitude of the woman, with her upward gaze and flowing body, expresses a natural grace typical of French Rococo.