Ontwerp voor een grafmonument voor prinses Anastasiya Trubetskaya

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso van de twee bladen: Lugt 2228a

Art Historical Context

This delicate drawing, titled *Ontwerp voor een grafmonument voor prinses Anastasiyaubetskaya* ("Design for a Tomb Monument Princess Anastasiya Tretskaya"), was created by French sculptor Louis-Claude Vassé between 1760 and 1761. Rendered on paper and measuring 383 mm high by 268 mm wide, it exemplifies the refined draftsmanship of the Rococo-to-Neoclassical transition, a period when ornate memorials blended grandeur with emerging classical restraint. Vassé, known for his work at the Russian imperial court, likely crafted this as a preparatory sketch for a noble funerary monument honoring the princess from the prominent Trubetskoy family. The artwork's historical significance lies in its connection to 18th-century European-Russian artistic exchange. Vassé's presence in St. Petersburg during Catherine the Great's early reign highlights how French talent elevated Russian monumental sculpture, often for elite commissions like tombs that symbolized status and piety. Such designs were pivotal in court culture, merging Baroque exuberance with enlightened ideals. A collector's mark (Lugt 2228a) on the verso of its two sheets attests to its esteemed provenance, tracing ownership through renowned European connoisseurs. This preserved gem invites us to ponder the artistry behind eternal tributes, bridging personal loss with public legacy.

About the Artist

Louis-Claude Vassé · 1716–1772

In 1739 he won the Prix de Rome. Comment on works: Sculptor