CLÉMENTINE, princesse d'Orléans (1817-1907) King... Lot 193

CLÉMENTINE, princesse d'Orléans (1817-1907) King Henry II of England helping Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury (1118-1170), to ride a horse. Drawing in brown ink and graphite on paper pasted on sheet, from a sketchbook, signed lower right "Clémentine d'Orléans" and dated "1835", with the artist's autograph text illustrating the scene, from Jules Michelet's Histoire de France au Moyen Âge, published in 1833: "Henry showed great courtesy to Thomas, even to the point of wanting to hold his stirrup at the start. At the moment of separation, Thomas fixed his eyes on Henry and said solemnly: "I can see I won't be seeing you anymore. Do you take me for a traitor?" replied the king sharply. The archbishop bowed and left. Good condition. Sight: H.: 31 cm - W.: 48.5 cm. Stand: H.: 42 cm - W.: 51.5 cm. Reference: this drawing was inspired by a passage in Jules Michelet's "Histoire de France au Moyen Âge", published in 1833. Provenance: Christie's sale, Paris Christie's sale, Paris, November 27, 2002, under n°234