Item #4403171 Original sketch in watercolour, pen and ink, captioned "L'Intérieur d'un ménage, à Coupang" and dated at the top "Timor 1818" FREYCINET VOYAGE, Jacques ARAGO.

Original watercolour "L'Intérieur d'un ménage, à Coupang"…
Original sketch in watercolour, pen and ink, captioned "L'Intérieur d'un ménage, à Coupang" and dated at the top "Timor 1818".

Timor: during the expedition of the Uranie, 1818.

Fine watercolour, the image 198 x 265 mm., on laid paper; pencil note "Mr. Arago" in Freycinet's later hand at bottom left; mounted.

Beautiful original drawing from the Uranie expedition by Freycinet's official artist

Fine scene in Timor, drawn by Jacques Arago during the visit of the Freycinet expedition in late 1818. Arago's observations on Timor were acute, and he is known to have toured and made sketches in both the wealthy Chinese and Malay quarters. A series of his Timor scenes was later included in the official Freycinet voyage account, but this scene was not made into an engraving and is in fact otherwise unrecorded. Jacques Etienne Arago (1790-1855) was the official artist on Freycinet's voyage, and is known for the witty and caustic account he later wrote as much as for his fine sketches. As with many other Arago drawings relating to the voyage, this was evidently subsequently owned by Freycinet, and it is his handwriting that signs the picture "Mr. Arago" at bottom left.

Fine scene in Timor, drawn by Jacques Arago during the visit of the Freycinet expedition in late 1818. Arago's observations on Timor were acute, and he is known to have toured and made sketches in both the wealthy Chinese and Malay quarters. A series of his Timor scenes was later included in the official Freycinet voyage account, but this scene was not made into an engraving and is in fact otherwise unrecorded. Jacques Etienne Arago (1790-1855) was the official artist on Freycinet's voyage, and is known for the witty and caustic account he later wrote as much as for his fine sketches. As with many other Arago drawings relating to the voyage, this was evidently subsequently owned by Freycinet, and it is his handwriting that signs the picture "Mr. Arago" at bottom left.

Arago was the third of four brothers who excelled in diverse professions, the most notable being his eldest brother François, a scientist and politician. Arago's undoubted artistic ability attracted the attention of the naval authorities who chose him for the demanding role of draughtsman for the Freycinet expedition. By all accounts a charming, gregarious and eccentric man, these attributes stood him in good stead during the voyage, and are reflected in the sketches he made. Freycinet is known to have retained a large number of voyage images by both Arago and his colleague Pellion, which would have been surrendered to him as both commander and official chronicler of the voyage. It is interesting to note that Arago's famous scene of Rose going ashore at Timor, sold by us in our Baudin & Flinders catalogue (2010, no. 69), has almost identical borders and annotations, as did his sketch of a man of Timor (no. 81).

Provenance: Originally owned by Louis de Freycinet, commander of the <em>Uranie</em>.

Price (AUD): $27,500.00

US$18,062.47   Other currencies

Ref: #4403171