Charles Jacque, “Coq et Poules”, 1844

Charles Jacque (aka Charles Émile Jacque) (1813–1894)

“Coq et Poules” (Rooster and Hens), 1844, plate 24 and the final plate from a series of twenty-four etchings published in 1864 (Guiffrey cat. nos. 177 to 212), printed by Sarazin (aka Sarasin) (fl.c1846–1880).

Etching, drypoint and dot roulette on buff coloured chine collé on heavy wove paper with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 30.8 x 41.1 cm; (plate) 17.5 x 21.6 cm; (chine collé) 13 x 18.1 cm; (image borderline) 12.1 x 17.3 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (lower left) “Ch J[ac]que”.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “CH. JACQUE”; (centre) “COQ ET POULES”; (right) “SARAZIN IMP./ N^o. 24. 2”.

State ii (of ii) published state with the addition drypoint and roulette retouching.

Guiffrey 201 (J.-J. Guiffrey 1868, “L’Oeuvre de Ch. Jacque: Catalogue de ses Eaux-Fortes et Pointes Sèches”, Paris, Lemaire, pp. 97–98, cat. no. 201) [https://archive.org/details/luvredechjacque00guifgoog/page/n108/mode/2up]); IFF 304 (Jean Adhémar & Jacques Lethève 1954, “Inventaire du Fonds Francais Apres 1800”, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, vol. 11, p. 116, cat. no. 304).

Guiffrey (1868) offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “In a corner of a farmyard, near a pile of manure, a rooster walks proudly around his wives. On the left, a bowl; in the background, in the middle, a hen lying on top of the pile of manure; on the right, behind a black hen pecking, a broom and a bucket seen halfway” (pp. 97–98).

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1889-0608-231.

Condition: a strong and well-printed early impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate with generously wide margins. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds or significant stains.

I am selling this insightful rendering of farmyard chooks [domestic fowl) that were an important part of Jacque’s life—mindful that not only did Jacque breed chooks, but he also wrote a book about the technical issues involved in their breeding which, according to FL Leipnik (1924) in “A History of French Etching”, “is still quoted as an authority” (p. 76)—for AU$279 in total (currently US$186.12/ EUR168.72/ GBP143.78 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$279) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this superb rendering of a farmyard scene with a strutting rooster and his wives (to borrow Guiffrey’s [1868] description of the hens), please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.