Frédéric Laguillermie, “Chardin and Madame Chardin”, 1864, after Chardin

Frédéric Laguillermie (aka Frédéric Auguste Laguillermie; Frédéric Auguste La Guillermie) (1841–1934)

“Chardin and Madame Chardin”, 1864, after Jean Siméon Chardin’s (1699–1779) pastel portraits, “Self Portrait with Eyeshade” (https://www.artic.edu/artworks/102131/self-portrait-with-a-visor) and “Portrait of Madame Chardin” (https://www.artic.edu/artworks/88557/portrait-of-madame-chardin)—note that Chardin portrays himself wearing glasses and a visor as, like Edgar Degas, he suffered an eye condition in his later life (amaurosis?) possibly arising from his use of oil solvents and lead pigments leading him to transition to using pastels—printed by Auguste Delâtre (aka Auguste Marie Delâtre) (1822–1907) and published in Paris in the art periodical, “La Gazette des Beaux- Arts”, 1^st January, 1864, facing page 158 (see  https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k203080z/f166.double).   

Etching on cream chine collé on heavy wove paper trimmed with a small margin around the chine collé and backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 18.3 x 25.9; (chine collé) 14.9 x 22.9 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderlines: (left) Chardin pinx^t./ CHARDIN./ Gazette des Beaux-Arts.”; (right) “F. La Guillermie sculp^t./ M^ME CHARDIN./ Imp. Delâtre, à Paris.”

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression with a small margin around the chine collé and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins. Beyond a thin patch on the forehead of Madame Chardin, the sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds or significant stains.

I am selling this beautiful double portrait that not only skilfully translates the subtleties of Chardin’s pastel studies into a loose network of line, but, more amazing, captures the living spirit of the portrayed subjects—for example, note how this brilliant etcher (a student of the great Léopold Flameng [1831–1911]) uses variation in the size and shape of the smallest of small white highlights on Madame Chardin’s eyes (viz. a square and a horizonal stroke) to invite the viewer to believe that she is using her left eye to contemplate the world—for AU$198 in total (currently US$136.27/EUR121.69/GBP101.71 at the time of posting 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$198) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this pair of portraits, 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