Adrien Manglard, “The Shipwreck”, c1750

Adrien Manglard (aka Adriaen Manglard) (1695–1760)

“The Shipwreck” (aka “Seascape” [MET title]; “La Naufrage”), c1750, a lifetime impression from the second state (of four) before the addition of the plate number and the publication details for Vincenzo Billy (fl. early 1700s?). Note that this is a rare etching that is not in the collection of either the British Museum or the Rijksmuseum.

Etching on laid paper (partial watermark) with a small margin around the platemark and restoration of the upper-right corner of the margin. Verso has past collectors’ pencil inscriptions and there is a faint collector’s ink stamp (not fully legible) on the lower-left edge.

Size: (sheet) 30.2 x 44 cm; (plate) 28.3 x 42.7 cm; (image borderline) 27.5 x 42.2 cm.

Inscribed in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Manglard fecit”.

State ii (of iv) before numbering and the addition of the publisher’s address.

Robert-Dumesnil 42 (A.P.F Robert-Dumesnil 1836, “Le Peintre-Graveur Français”, vol. 2, Paris, p. 253, cat. no. 42 [ii]; [see: https://archive.org/details/bnf-bpt6k6558132k/page/n271/mode/2up]).

Robert-Dumesnil (1836) offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “Sea view during a storm. A high-sided vessel has been thrown by the waves against the reefs which occupy the middle of the bottom, and has been wrecked there. Men are busy rescuing the people who have survived this disaster. Other vessels, in the distance, seem to be struggling with effort against a similar fate. The shore, on the left, is formed by a sheer rock surmounted by a tower; and, on the right, by a site decorated with the remains of a triumphal arch” (p. 253).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate with a small margin around the plate mark. Beyond restoration of the upper-right corner of the margin, the sheet is in excellent condition for its age with no holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains

I am selling this large and rare etching rich with a layering of hatched strokes capturing the turmoil of a gale as figures in the foreground try to save the stranded from a shipwreck while other ships rock wildly in the distance, for the total cost of AU$366 (currently US$240.63/EUR220.42/GBP188.58 at the time of this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$366) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this tour de force seascape of pure etched line with a clear artistic nod to similar harbour and shipwreck scenes of Claude Lorrain (aka Claude Gellée) (1600-1682) (see for example: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_M-12-30), please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold