Louis-Francois Cassas

LOT 99 LOUIS-FRANÇOIS CASSAS FRENCH, 1756 - 1827 FIGURES IN FRONT OF THE GATE OF PERSECUTION, EPHESUS 25,000—35,000 GBP measurements 68 by 100.5cm., 26¾ by 39½in. Description pen and black ink and watercolour with bodycolour on paper laidon canvas PROVENANCE Private Collection, Athens

LOT 44 CONSTANTINOPLE--CASSAS, [LOUIS FRANÇOIS] VUE DE CONSTANTINOPLE PRISE DE LA MER DE MARMARA. PARIS, [C.1830] 3,000—5,000 GBP Description Fine hand-coloured engraving by Schwartz after Cazas (?Cassas), 620 x 840mm., heightened with varnish, mounted on card, framed and glazed, margin trimmed (not affecting text or image) Cassas, Vue de Constantinople prise de la mer de Marmara, c.1830

Louis-François Cassas (French, 1756-1827) Figures in front of the Gate of Persecution, Ephesus pen, ink and watercolour on paper Footnote: Louis-François Cassas trained as an artist in France, moving to Italy in the late 1770s where he remained for five years. In the early 1780s, he travelled throughout much of Turkey in the company of the French Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire le comte Marie August Florent Choiseul-Gouffier and produced numerous illustrations for the latter’’s celebrated book on the region. Cassas then embarked on a two year journey to Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Cyprus and Egypt. In 1787, he travelled again to Asia Minor and Greece, returning to Rome where some of his drawings were later engraved for his Voyage Pittoresque de la Syrie, de la Phénicie, de la Palestine et de la Basse Egypte (1799). In Rome, he quickly built up a solid reputation, with people flocking to his studio to admire his drawings and watercolours which had “escaped the Arabs.” The German poet Goethe was one of his visitors. In common with many 18th Century view painters, Cassas used sketches he had made during his travels to work up into finished pictures once he had returned home. Itinerant Grand Tourists were his main clientele, and they would order from him the views that for them best represented the exotic - and in those days inaccessible - locations to which he had travelled. Consequently a number of his most successful subjects were repeated several times, a certain indicator of their contemporary popularity; another version of the present watercolour was sold in these rooms, 20 May 2008, lot 16 for £150,000,(see figure 1). On 15 September 1787 Goethe wrote in a letter: “Cassas’’ work is extremely beautiful. It made me think of a lot of things I’’d like to tell you.” And two days later, writing in his journal, he described the drawings he had seen in great detail. 1 Gérard-Georges Lemaire, who devotes a whole chapter on Cassas and Goethe in his treatise The Orient in Western Art , notes that “Cassas’’ drawings are remarkable for their freshness and their lightness of touch; they have the spontaneity of his original sketches. His paintings are also very distinctive. He handles the picturesque deftly. His skill lay in his ability to render the architecture and costumes with a meticulous attention to detail that vividly evokes, for western eyes, the exotic character of the people and events depicted.” In this exquisite, large-scale painting, one of the most important topographical pictures by the artist ever to appear on the auction market, Cassas takes up his theme with a tenderness of observation, capturing both the monumentality of the ruins and the romanticism of the location at a time when a particular conjunction of political events and artistic concerns brought a rapid expansion of the West’’s contact with the near East. While the development of the picturesque aesthetic extended the interest in topography to the visiting and recording of unfamiliar lands, the growth of scientific and historical curiosity also called for accurate surveys and careful depictions of peoples and places. 2 In Ephesus, one of the most important Greek archaeological sites in Asia Minor, Cassas picked out a very prominent feature, the famous Gate of Persecution, to show his fascination with the emotive and picturesque qualities of architecture overlaid with literary associations and fabled allusions. Leading to the citadel and the ruined basilica of St. John the Evangelist, who is believed to have written the fourth gospel in Ephesus, this magnificent portal, incorporating sculptural elements from Hellenistic and Roman times, inspires awe. Although much dilapidated and almost completely abandoned by the nineteenth century, it continued to attract artists and writers with its echoes of the grandeur of a bygone era. Besides the sheer scale of the structure, Cassas was particularly impressed by the three remarkable bas-reliefs installed over the gateway, which were mistakenly thought by the Byzantines to depict the persecution of Christians. In John Hartley’’s Researches in Greece and the Levant (1933), a traveller’’s account almost contemporary with Cassas’’ painting, we read: “A large archway leading to the castle is generally called the Gate of Persecution from the supposition that the sculpture attached to it represents the sufferings of the Primitive Christians. It is however believed, with more reason, that nothing else is signified than Achilles dragging the dead body of Hector behind his chariot. The chief part of these figures was removed some time ago, and is said to have been sold for an immense price.” 3 Taken from Roman sarcophagi, these elaborate reliefs, removed at a later date to Woburn Abbey, England, home of the Duke of Bedford, 4 are now believed to represent the myth of Endymion, a youth of wondrous beauty who in all the stories about him sleeps forever, immortal, eternally young and beautiful but never conscious. Loukianos suggests that Selene had become enamoured of him while seeing him asleep, while according to Likymnios of Chios it was Hypnos who fell in love with him and lulled him to sleep with his eyes open so that he might have the pleasure of looking at them. 5 Below this imposing and evocative monument of former splendour and against the soft, opalescent mists of the distant horizon the remains of the Byzantine aqueduct can still be seen. In the right foreground three armed men seem to be guarding the entrance, while on the left an extended Greek family group attending two Greek Orthodox priests is engaged in a religious ritual, possibly an unction of a small child. All figures are portrayed with such precise rendering and intimate feeling that, as Goethe himself once said about Cassas’’ pictures, “it is a pleasure to see.” In his insistence on realistic detail, delightfully attractive effects and highly finished quality that never drifts to over-stylisation, Cassas conveys a visual sense of history, people and place, helping the viewer to fathom the vastness of years this awe-inspiring site travelled through time. 1. G.G. Lemaire, The Orient in Western Art , Könemann, 2005, p. 82. 2. See M.A. Stevens, 'Western Art and its Encounter with the Islamic World 1798-1914' in The Orientalists: Delacroix to Matisse, The Allure of North Africa and the Near East , ed. M.A. Stevens, Thames and Hudson and The National Gallery of Art, 1984, pp. 15-23. See also The Middle East and the West , London 1964. 3. J. Hartley, Researches in Greece and the Levant , R.B. Seeley and W. Burnside publ., London 1833, p. 233. 4. Fine Arts Society catalogue, 1994. 5. See E. Hamilton, Mythology, Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes , Mentor Books, New York, Toronto and London, 1940, pp. 113-114 and T. Gantz, Early Greek Myth , vol. 1, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 1993, pp. 35-36.

CASSAS (LOUIS FRANÇOIS) and JOSEPH DE LAVALLÉE Voyage pittoresque et historique de l'Istrie et Dalmatie, rédigé, first edition , engraved frontispiece, additional title with vignette, 66 plates (several folding or double-page), double-page map, no half-title, list of subscribers, errata leaf and index to text, contemporary half russia, neatly repaired [Blackmer 296; Atabey 202; Cohen-de Ricci, p.205; Weber 597], folio, [Paris, 1802] Footnote: Provenance: W. Danby; Lord Norrey (inscription, 1878); Henry Blackmer (Sotheby's, 11-13 October, 1989, lot 456). Lot Notice Please note that lots 168-264 are subject to variations to our standard Contract for Sale, Buyer's Agreement and Definitions. Click here to view these variations. By placing a bid on any of these lots you are agreeing to these variations.

Greek family in front of the Gate ofPersecution, Ephesus, 1822 signed and dated 'L.F. Cassas/1822' (lower left) watercolour and ink on paper Footnote: Provenance: The Fine Art Society, London, April 1994. Private collection, Athens. On 15 September 1787 Goethe wrote in a letter: “Cassas’ work isextremely beautiful. It made me think of a lot of things I’d liketo tell you.” And two days later, writing in his journal, hedescribed the drawings he had seen in great detail. Gérard-Georges Lemaire, who devotes a whole chapter on Cassas andGoethe in his treatise The Orient in Western Art , notes that“Cassas’ drawings are remarkable for their freshness and theirlightness of touch; they have the spontaneity of his originalsketches. His paintings are also very distinctive. He handles thepicturesque deftly. His skill lay in his ability to render thearchitecture and costumes with a meticulous attention to detailthat vividly evokes, for western eyes, the exotic character of thepeople and events depicted.” In this exquisite, large-scale painting, one of the most importanttopographical pictures by the artist ever to appear on the auctionmarket, Cassas takes up his theme with a tenderness of observation,capturing both the monumentality of the ruins and the romanticismof the location at a time when a particular conjunction ofpolitical events and artistic concerns brought a rapid expansion ofthe West’s contact with the near East. While the development of thepicturesque aesthetic extended the interest in topography to thevisiting and recording of unfamiliar lands, the growth ofscientific and historical curiosity also called for accuratesurveys and careful depictions of peoples andplaces. In Ephesus, one of the most important Greek archaeological sites inAsia Minor, Cassas picked out a very prominent feature, the famousGate of Persecution, to show his fascination with the emotive andpicturesque qualities of architecture overlaid with literaryassociations and fabled allusions. Leading to the citadel and theruined basilica of St. John the Evangelist, who is believed to havewritten the fourth gospel in Ephesus, this magnificent portal,incorporating sculptural elements from Hellenistic and Roman times,inspires awe. Although much dilapidated and almost completelyabandoned by the nineteenth century, it continued to attractartists and writers with its echoes of the grandeur of a bygoneera. Besides the sheer scale of the structure, Cassas was particularlyimpressed by the three remarkable bas-reliefs installed over thegateway, which were mistakenly thought by the Byzantines to depictthe persecution of Christians. In John Hartley’s Researches inGreece and the Levant (1933), a traveller’s account almostcontemporary with Cassas’ painting, we read: “A large archwayleading to the castle is generally called the Gate of Persecutionfrom the supposition that the sculpture attached to it representsthe sufferings of the Primitive Christians. It is however believed,with more reason, that nothing else is signified than Achillesdragging the dead body of Hector behind his chariot. The chief partof these figures was removed some time ago, and is said to havebeen sold for an immense price.” Taken from Roman sarcophagi, these elaborate reliefs, removed at alater date to Woburn Abbey, England, home of the Duke ofBedford, are now believed to represent the myth ofEndymion, a youth of wondrous beauty who in all the stories abouthim sleeps forever, immortal, eternally young and beautiful butnever conscious. Loukianos suggests that Selene had becomeenamoured of him while seeing him asleep, while according toLikymnios of Chios it was Hypnos who fell in love with him andlulled him to sleep with his eyes open so that he might have thepleasure of looking at them. Below this imposing and evocative monument of former splendour andagainst the soft, opalescent mists of the distant horizon theremains of the Byzantine aqueduct can still be seen. In the rightforeground three armed men seem to be guarding the entrance, whileon the left an extended Greek family group attending two GreekOrthodox priests is engaged in a religious ritual, possibly anunction of a small child. All figures are portrayed with suchprecise rendering and intimate feeling that, as Goethe himself oncesaid about Cassas’ pictures, “it is a pleasure to see.” In hisinsistence on realistic detail, delightfully attractive effects andhighly finished quality that never drifts to over-stylisation,Cassas conveys a visual sense of history, people and place, helpingthe viewer to fathom the vastness of years this awe-inspiring sitetravelled through time. Louis-François Cassas trained as an artist in France, moving toItaly in the late 1770s where he remained for five years. In theearly 1780s, he travelled throughout much of Turkey in the companyof the French Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire le comte MarieAugust Florent Choiseul-Gouffier and produced numerousillustrations for the latter’s celebrated book on the region.Cassas then embarked on a two year journey to Syria, Lebanon,Palestine, Cyprus and Egypt. In 1787, he travelled again to AsiaMinor and Greece, returning to Rome where some of his drawings werelater engraved for his Voyage Pittoresque de la Syrie, de laPhénicie, de la Palestine et de la Basse Egypte (1799). InRome, he quickly built up a solid reputation, with people flockingto his studio to admire his drawings and watercolours which had“escaped the Arabs.” The German poet Goethe was one of hisvisitors. G.G. Lemaire, The Orient in Western Art ,Könemann, 2005, p. 82. See M.A. Stevens, 'Western Art and its Encounter withthe Islamic World 1798-1914' in The Orientalists: Delacroix toMatisse, The Allure of North Africa and the Near East , ed.M.A. Stevens, Thames and Hudson and The National Gallery of Art,1984, pp. 15-23. See also The Middle East and the West ,London 1964. J. Hartley, Researches in Greece and theLevant , R.B. Seeley and W. Burnside publ., London 1833, p.233. Fine Arts Society catalogue, 1994. See E. Hamilton, Mythology, Timeless Tales of Godsand Heroes , Mentor Books, New York, Toronto and London, 1940,pp. 113-114 and T. Gantz, Early Greek Myth , vol. 1, JohnsHopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, 1993, pp.35-36.