Pierre Daret, “The Life of the Fields is the Life of Heroes”, 1646

Pierre Daret (aka Pierre Daret de Cazeneuve) (c1604–1678)

“The Life of the Fields is the Life of Heroes” (La Vie des Champs est la Vie des Heros), 1646, published and printed in Paris by Louys Sevestre (aka Louis Sevestre) (fl.1634–1690) as the full leaf of page 33 (and verso) to Marin Le Roy de Gomberville’s (1600–1674) “The Doctrine of Morals, Taken from the Philosophy of the Stoics, Represented in a Hundred Pictures and Explained in a Hundred Discourses for the Instruction of Youth” (La doctrine des murs, tiree de la philosophie des stoiques, representee en cent tableaux et expliquee en cent discours pour l'instruction de la ieunesse). Archive.org offers an online view of this leaf in its context in the publication: https://archive.org/details/ladoctrinedesmur00gomb/page/n99/mode/2up.

Interestingly, this publication also features an engraving in the reverse direction to Van Veen’s “Punishment Swiftly Follows Crime” that I listed a short while ago (see https://archive.org/details/ladoctrinedesmur00gomb/page/n73/mode/2up and my post https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2024/07/gijsbert-van-veens-engraving-punishment.html).

Engraving on laid paper, a double-sided with full margins and letterpress text recto and verso.

Size: (sheet) 35.3 x 23 cm; (plate) 18.3 x 14.4 cm; (image borderline) 18 x 14.1 cm.

Letterpress text: (above image) “LA DOCTRINE DES MOEVRS [THE DOCTRINE OF MORALITY]. 33/ LA VIE DES CHAMPS EST LA VIE DES HEROS. [THE LIFE OF THE FIELDS IS THE LIFE OF HEROES]; (below the image) “Vante qui voudra les Citez, [Praise who will Cite them,]/ Ou les mortels comme enchantez; [Or mortals as enchanted;]/ Tiennent pour des grandeurs, leur contraintes seruilles [Consider for greatness, their constraints (on liberty?)]/ Pour moy i’ayme les champs. Cari’y voy des beautez [For me I love the fields. Because there I see beauties]/ Que l’on ne voit point dans les Villes [That one does not see in the Cities].”

Condition: a strong and well-printed (near faultless) leaf. Beyond minor marks in the lower margin, the sheet is in an extraordinarily fine (almost pristine) condition for its considerable age with no tears, holes, folds or significant stains.

I am selling this superb leaf from a book of emblem engravings commissioned (from my understanding) by Cardinal Mazarin (aka Jules Mazarin; Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino) (1602–1661) to give moral guidance to the young Louis XIV—(transl.) ”…[to] throw into this Royal soul the foundations of a science which is the true science of Kings” (see https://archive.org/details/ladoctrinedesmur00gomb/page/n15/mode/2up)—for AU$257 in total (currently US$167.36/ EUR153.35/ GBP130.72 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$257) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this superb leaf from 1646—a lifetime impression from the first edition—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