Spaightwood Galleries

We have recently acquired, with the assistance of a rare book dealer in Brussels, a portfolio of drawings on laid paper, many of which are clearly from the same hand and some of which are signed IDN (one is signed IND, some are not signed at all, and one is signed "de Neufforge" plus a flourish.) According to both Benezit and Thieme-Becker's biographical encyclopedias of artists, Jean-François de Neufforge (IDN) was born in Comblain-au-Point, Belgium in 1714 and died in Paris on 19 December 1791. He arrived in Paris around 1738 and studied Blondel and Babe. Although he worked primarily in the rococo style, he was also interested in classical sculpture and was aware of his contemporaries, particularly Boucher. He was a sculptor, engraver, and architect.

Neufforge's great work was the Recueil élémentaire d'architecture containing roughly 900 architectural engravings, nearly all of which he both designed and engraved. It was divided into eight books and published in two parts which he presented to L'Academie Royale between 1757 and 1780 (it which was reprinted in 1905-1906). According to the Grove Dictionary of Art, "It is a traditional architect's pattern-book but is of unprecedented scope, containing virtually every type of civic and domestic building then known, including such structures as prisons and lighthouses that had only recently been considered worthy of an architect's attention. In addition, it covers such topics as interior decoration, gardens and methods of construction. In his designs for domestic architecture, Neufforge included models to suit every level of patron, from the most modest to the most aristocratic. The designs draw both on antiquity and the High Renaissance, and the Recueil was extensively used as a source-book throughout the late 18th century."

Our drawings are on thick laid paper with several different watermarks (though some have no watermark at all). Some treat the same subject (often with one signed and one or two others unsigned); some are surrounded by framing lines as if they were presentation drawings or intended for an album, some are not; some seem to be designed as engravings and have a space reserved for a descriptive printed text, some do not. Some are clearly drawn from life; others seem as though they might have been taken from classical or Renaissance sculptures. Some of the drawings have a marvelous liveliness about them, some are more weighty; all are very well done and in very good condition with the exception of the occasional handling crease or stain, mostly invisible when matted. None show signs of having been matted in the past: they seem to have been kept in a leather case and show no signs of either light or mat stain.

The drawings represent another kind of activity. Stylistically, many of the drawings—particularly those of women—show the influence of Boucher and the color crayon noir manner engraving style used to reproduce his works. These engravings, very similar to Woman with turban or Woman with pearl necklace looking down (both on I:D:N: Women) or Seated male nude below are currently selling for prices up to $10,000 at auction. It is quite possible that some of our drawings were executed as models for such prints.