Theatres of Life

This catalogue accompanies the first ever loan exhibition of drawings from Waddesdon Manor, the great Rothschild house near Aylesbury, now owned by the National Trust. The house was built and furnished by Ferdinand de Rothschild (1839-1898) to show off his works of art and to entertain the fashionable world. Most of the drawing gathered together for this exhibition have never been exhibited in public and most have not been published. There are works by major French draughts men of the eighteenth century, including Francois Boucher, Jean Honore Fragonard, Jean-Baptiste Greuze, Nicolas Lancret, Gabriel de Saint-Aubin and Jean Baptiste Le Prince. Other artists are less familiar - Charles-Nicolas Cochin and Moreaule Jeune among them - and it is hoped that this beautiful book will introduce the reader to the verve and originality of their work.The selection reflects the diversity of the Rothschild Collection and the overlapping preoccupations and unflagging curiosity of its creators. It encompasses observation and invention, academic learning and social comment, propaganda and reportage, and sheds light on the many different techniques and uses of drawing.It is hoped that scrutiny of these works outside their usual context will intrigue those that do not know Waddesdon, surprise those that do and give insight and pleasure to new audiences. This title accompanies an exhibition at the Wallace Collection, London 8 November 2007 - 27 January 2008.