Encore des dessins mis en vente à Paris
An album containing fifty-two drawings by the Van Blarenberghe family of painters and miniaturists is being auctioned in Paris on March 31, 2026, by Wattebled & Portay at Drouot. The collection includes three watercolor studies by Louis-Nicolas Van Blarenberghe directly related to the celebrated Choiseul snuffbox, a major acquisition by the Louvre in 2022.
The sale is significant because it presents a rare opportunity for the Louvre to acquire preparatory works intrinsically linked to a key object in its collection. The album, assembled by the family's heirs in 1892, offers unique insight into the artist's creative process for the famed gold snuffbox, featuring studies of its miniature interior scenes. Its potential acquisition would deepen the museum's understanding and presentation of this important 18th-century artifact.