Luc-Olivier Merson
Paris 1846 – 1920 Paris

Study of Hands
preparatory for the Opéra-Comique

Pencil, blending stump, and white chalk highlights

220 × 390 mm

Monogrammed (lower right). “L.O.M”

Inscribed (lower left): “Opéra comique”

Luc-Olivier Merson was a French academic painter trained at the École des Beaux-Arts and winner of the Prix de Rome. Merson worked across a wide range of media, from history painting and religious subjects to illustration and decorative commissions. Among his major public works is his contribution to the decoration of the Opéra-Comique (Salle Favart), where he executed scenes linked to the history and allegory of music, notably for the grand staircase.

Our Study of hands executed in black chalk is preparatory for the hand gestures of be the women singing in the choir in Merson’s large decoration La Musique at the Opéra-Comique in Paris. The poses – open palms, slightly raised fingers, and the positioning of the hands as if holding or reading sheet music – correspond closely to those seen in the painted composition. Our drawing reflects Merson’s careful attempts at isolating expressive details before integrating them into a larger work.

Small stains of white gouache, likely originating in the artist’s studio, further animate the surface and reinforce the understanding of this sheet as a working document intimately connected to the artist's creative process.