Gurr Johns is delighted to announce the sale of I Was Thinking of You (Je m’occupais de vous) by Marguerite Gérard and Jean-Honoré Fragonard to the J. Paul Getty Museum, marking a proud moment for the firm as this exceptional 18th-century French painting enters one of the world’s most prestigious museum collections.

Marguerite Gérard was among the most accomplished artists of her time, celebrated for her intimate depictions of domestic life and her nuanced exploration of women’s roles during a period of profound transformation in France. Influenced by 17th-century Dutch genre painters such as Gabriel Metsu, her work is distinguished by its refined detail, subtle storytelling, and delicately blended brushwork. In I Was Thinking of You, these qualities are brought into dialogue with the fluidity and expressive brilliance of Fragonard.

Executed à quatre mains, the painting is a rare and compelling example of the artistic collaboration between Fragonard and his sister-in-law Gérard, who lived and worked within his studio. Their combined hands produce a work of remarkable harmony, uniting Fragonard’s spirited handling with Gérard’s precision and sensitivity to create a composition of great elegance and intimacy.

This landmark sale underscores Gurr Johns’ continued leadership in the field of Old Master paintings and celebrates both Fragonard’s enduring legacy and Gérard’s increasingly recognised contribution to the history of European art.

Read more: https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/2731EA