César de Cock, “Screen of Trees with a River Beyond”, 1853

César de Cock (1823–1904)—Belgian painter and printmaker associated with the Barbizon School, student of Daubigny and Louis Français, and friends with Corot, Rousseau, Diaz and Troyon.

“Screen of Trees with a River Beyond” (descriptive title only and the distant river is possibly the River Seine around Gasny [see IFF 1] but I may be very wrong), 1853.

Etching on fine laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 22.7 x 27cm; (plate) 12.5 x 17.3 cm; (image borderline) 11.7 x 16.9cm.

Inscribed in plate below the image borderline: (right) “Cesar De Cock. 53”.

Not numbered or described in IFF (Jean Adhémar 1949, “Inventaire du Fonds Français après 1800: CIDOINE–DAUMIER”, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Département des Estampes, vol. 5, p. 59 [see https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5488526m/f71.item]). Nevertheless, the following biographical details offered by IFF regarding César de Cock are interesting: (Transl.) “Painter and engraver, born and died in Ghent, 1823-1904. He was first a musician, then under the influence of his brother Xavier, he painted and engraved; settled in France since his youth and working with his wife Julia Stigzelius, under the influence of the masters of Barbizon, he exhibited landscapes at the Salon, from 1857” (p. 59). Although I may be misinformed, I understand that the artist's change in direction from music to art was driven by his failing hearing.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression with generous margins in a pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or signs of handling.

I am selling this very beautiful etching exemplifying the spirit of the Barbizon School and the Etching Revival period—note the artist’s love of his craft in enriching his etched lines with the technique of retroussage (viz. wiping the freshly inked printing plate to draw up a little of the ink from the etched lines to make them appear softer and more richly inked)—for AU$257 in total (currently US$164.26/ EUR155.45/ GBP128.84 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 rare etching seldom seen on the art market, 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