ACCORDING TO CHARMONTELLE'S FRIEND AND BIOGRAPHER, RICHARD DE L©EDANDS, THE SITTER WAS 'AN EXCELLENT MUSICIAN WHO PLAYED THE VIOLA DA GAMBA AND MANDOLIN SUPERBLY. HER MAIN RIVAL WAS MADAME DE MONTAINVILLE, A PORTRAIT OF WHOM IS AT THE FONDATION CUSTODIA IN PARIS.' DE L©EDANS GOES ON TO SAY THAT THEY WERE VIRTUOSO PRIMAE CLASSIS WHO DELIGHTED ALL WHO HAD THE PLEASURE OF HEARING THEM.

THIS DRAWING AND THE FOLLOWING LOT DATE FROM EARLY IN THE ARTIST'S CAREER. THEY ARE EACH BASICALLY IN THE ORIGINAL TROIS CRAYONS THAT CHARMONTELLE EMPLOYED WHEN HE WAS MAKING HIS FIRST DRAWING IN FRONT OF THE SITTER, AND DO NOT CONTAIN THE SORT OF EXTENSIVE OVERWORK IN WATERCOLOR AND BODYCOLOR THAT, LATER IN HIS CAREER, HE OFTEN LIKED TO APPLY AFTER THE SITTING HAD BEEN COMPLETED