Image Dimensions: 12 1/8 x 12 1/4 in (30.7 x 31 cm)
Framed Dimensions: 17 1/2 x 17 3/4 in (44.5 x 45 cm)

Provenance and Authentication:
According to the Letter of Authenticity (LOA) and Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided by the consignor, this collectible was subjected to a forensic examination. The accompanying documentation states that the signatures were evaluated with reference to multiple characteristics, including ink deposition, material and aging characteristics, stylistic consistency, and historical context. Based on the examination described in these documents, the authentication provider concluded that the findings were consistent with the attributed signatures. The LOA and COA provided by the consignor accompany the lot.

A signed figural drawing by celebrated French cartoonist and illustrator Jean-Jacques Sempé (1932-2022), depicting a solitary cyclist traveling along a gently winding country road. Executed with delicate linear drawing and restrained washes of watercolor, the diminutive rider occupies only a small portion of the expansive composition, while a blue-gray cloud hangs prominently overhead. Signed "Sempé" at the lower right and presented framed.

The striking contrast between the small human figure and the surrounding landscape is closely associated with Sempé's distinctive visual language. Throughout his career, he repeatedly placed ordinary individuals within expansive cities, landscapes, and architectural settings, using scale and generous areas of open space to evoke humor, solitude, freedom, and quiet observation. Here, the lone cyclist beneath an oversized cloud transforms an apparently simple journey into a characteristically poetic visual narrative.

Sempé became one of the defining figures of postwar French illustration, celebrated internationally for Le Petit Nicolas, created with René Goscinny, as well as his extensive work for publications including The New Yorker. Cycling was also a recurring subject within his artistic world. Combining this particularly characteristic theme with delicate watercolor, expressive economy, and the artist's signature, the present drawing offers notable appeal to collectors of French illustration, cartoon art, and modern works on paper.

Condition:
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