Charles Jacque, “L’été”, 1864

Charles Jacque (also known as Charles Émile Jacque) (1813–1894)

“L’été” (Summer), 1864

Technical Details & Condition:

Etching with dot-roulette on fine buff-coloured laid paper with wide margins. This is a rare first state impression before lettering for publication. It is the ninth plate in a series of twenty-four prints executed in 1864 and distributed between 1864–1865 (Collection Publiée en 1864, Guiffrey 177–201).

In the later published state of this etching, the inscribed details show Sarazin (also known as Sarasin, active circa 1846–1880) as the printer.

Note: The British Museum holds an impression of the later, lettered state under: Museum Number 1865,0429.156 (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1865-0429-156).

The impression is richly inked and well-printed—a near-faultless artist’s proof. Aside from a small replenished hole below the image at right (visible only when held to a light source), the sheet remains in excellent, museum-quality condition. It is entirely free of tears, folds, stains, or handling marks.

J.-J. Guiffrey (1866) describes this specific composition (translated from the French): “A country girl, dressed in a gown that leaves her shoulder and leg bare, sits on a mound under a tree near a rough fence. She is feeding a small bird. On the other side of the fence, a shepherd in a wide-brimmed hat and coat leans on his elbow, talking to the girl. His flock spreads out on a rise divided in two by a wooden fence, at the top of which the silhouette of a dog stands out against the sky” (p. 92).

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 39.4 x 28 cm
• Platemark: 21 x 13.2 cm
• Image borderline: 13 x 9.8 cm

References:

• Guiffrey 185 (J.-J. Guiffrey, “L’Oeuvre de Ch. Jacque: Catalogue de ses Eaux-Fortes et Pointes Sèches,” 1866, Paris, Lemaire, p. 92, cat. no. 185 [Premier état])
• Beraldi 9 (Henri Beraldi, “Les Graveurs du Dix-Neuvième Siècle: GUÉRIN–LACOSTE,” vol. VIII, 1889, Paris, Librairie L. Conquet, p. 188, cat. no. 9 [referencing Guiffrey 185])
• IFF 288 (Jean Adhémar & Jacques Lethève, “Inventaire du Fonds Français après 1800: HUMBLOT–JYG,” vol. 11, 1960, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, p. 115, cat. no. 288)— https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5489301d/f127.item

Price & Shipping:

AU$274 (approximately US$191.38 / €167.21 / £142.26), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes (if any) are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you’re interested in acquiring this sublimely beautiful and extraordinarily rare etching in its initial proof state before lettering and later drypoint/engraving rework, please contact me directly at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I will gladly provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless purchase.

This print has been sold 

Léon Lhermitte, “Portrait of Charles Daubigny”, 1875

Léon Lhermitte (also known as Léon Augustin Lhermitte) (1844-1925)

“Portrait of Charles Daubigny”, 1875

Technical Details & Condition:

Drypoint on buff-colored laid paper with “Arches” watermark. Printed in Paris by Abraham Beillet (active 1850–1876). This portrait depicts the renowned Barbizon artist Charles Daubigny (also known as Charles François Daubigny) (1817–1878). It served as the frontispiece to Frédéric Henriet’s catalogue raisonné of Daubigny’s graphic work, “Daubigny et son Œuvre Gravé”, published in Paris. See: https://archive.org/details/cdaubignyetsonuv00henr/page/n13/mode/2up

Note: Although Henriet’s later 1905 catalogue retrospectively records the publication date as 1874, bibliographic records confirm the official release as 1875.

Henriet (1905) offers the following insight about this portrait (translated): 

“Léon Lhermitte drew and engraved this copperplate after the charcoal portrait he made in the studio of the famous landscape painter (rue Fontaine-Saint-Georges), who kindly posed for him. The artist is depicted at his easel, wearing the beret he wore in his studio.” (p. 71; see: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k96176869/f123)

The impression is strong, crisp, and evenly printed with wide margins. Aside from faint discoloration in the upper right of the image, the sheet remains in excellent condition—free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, or significant stains and handling marks.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 27.4 x 19.8 cm
• Platemark: 16.8 x 11 cm
• Image borderline: 12.1 x 10 cm

In-Plate Lettering

• Upper left: “L. Lhermitte”

(Below the image):

• Left of centre: “L. Lhermitte del. et sc.”
• Centre: “C. DAUBIGNY”
• Right: “Imp. Beillet Paris”

References:

• Henriet 18 (Frédéric Henriet, “Les Eaux-Fortes de Léon Lhermitte”, 1905, Paris, A. Lemerre, p. 71, cat. no. 18. Although Henriet lists the source publication date as 1874, the actual imprint is from 1875.)
• Beraldi 14 (Henri Beraldi, “Les Graveurs Du Xixe Siecle:  LAEMLEIN - MÉCOU”, Vol. IX, 1889, Paris, Librairie L. Conquet, p. 179, cat. no. 14)
• MAH Musée d'art et d'histoire, Ville de Genève: Inventory Number E 2017-1714 (https://www.mahmah.ch/collection/oeuvres/portrait-de-daubigny/e-2017-1714)

Price & Shipping:

AU$245 (approx. US$171.09 / €149.53 / £127.06), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes (if applicable) are the buyer’s responsibility.

To acquire this historically significant portrait of one of the leading artists of the Barbizon School—surprisingly, this portrait does not appear to be in the online collection of the British Museum—please contact oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless, protected transaction.

This print has been sold 

Johannes Visscher, “Fountain Among Antique Ruins”, c. 1660, after Nicolaes Berchem

Johannes Visscher (also known as Jan de Visscher) (1633/34–1712)

“Fountain Among Antique Ruins”, circa 1660

Technical Details & Condition:

Etching with engraving on buff-coloured laid paper, unevenly trimmed around the platemark and professionally mounted to a secondary sheet of archival-quality washi paper providing stable structural support and wide margins for mounting.

This print is Plate 4 from the four-part series Pastoral Landscapes (Hollstein 99–102). While the first state was published in Amsterdam by Frederick de Wit (1629/30–1706), this impression represents the second and final state (of two). In this definitive second state, published by Justus Danckerts (1635–1701), rich clouds have been added to the sky, and the original publisher’s address has been burnished out.

The composition is engraved in reverse after a 1654 black chalk and grey-brown wash drawing by Nicolaes Berchem (also known as Nicolaes Pietersz. Berchen; Niclas Berghem; Claes Berighem; Nicolaes Pietersz. Berrighem) (1620–1683), currently preserved in the collection of the British Museum (inv. no. 1895,0915.1110 [https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1895-0915-1110]).

The impression is strong and clear, demonstrating excellent contrast with minimal signs of wear to the copper plate. Aside from a small, professionally replenished spot and some age-related creasing along an old central fold, the sheet remains in excellent condition—free of tears or significant staining.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 19.9 x 26.2 cm (slightly uneven)
• Platemark: 19.5 x 26 cm
• Image borderline: 18.5 x 25.2 cm

In-Plate Lettering (Below the image):

• Left of centre: “CBerghem delin:”
• Right of centre: “J. Visscher fecit”
• Right: “4”

References:

• Hollstein: Dutch 102.II (Christiaan Schuckman, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450–1700”, Vol. XLI, 1992, p. 70, cat. no. 102.II)
• Albertina Museum: Object number H/I/64/97 (https://sammlungenonline.albertina.at/objects/489194)
• British Museum: Museum number F,2.32 (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_F-2-32)

Price & Shipping:

AU$267 (approx. US$186.95 / €162.96 / £138.12), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes (if applicable) are the buyer’s responsibility.

To acquire this bucolic scene of 17th-century life—where herdsmen tend to livestock drinking from a classical fountain ruin, while in the foreground a cow bellows contrasted with a resting shepherd cradling his rustic shawm—please contact oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless, protected transaction.

This print has been sold 

Ferdinand Staeger, “Self-Portrait”, circa 1930

Ferdinand Staeger (1880–1976)

“Self-Portrait” (“Selbstbildnis”), circa 1930

Technical Details & Condition:

Etching with plate tone printed in brown ink on heavy cream wove paper, hand-signed in pencil by the artist, titled as a self-portrait (“Selbstbildnis”), and inscribed as an artist’s proof (“Probedruck”) numbered two of only three impressions (“2/III”).

This is a richly inked, and strong impression with carefully wiped plate tone giving a warm moody glow complementing the dramatic chiaroscuro modelling of the face. The sheet is in excellent condition—near pristine—free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, or significant signs of handling and stains.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 35 x 26.2 cm
• Platemark: 19.5 x 14.5 cm

In-Plate Inscription:

• In mirror at lower left: “VERITAS”—truth (factual accuracy)

Pencil Inscriptions:

• Left: “Probedruck” (proof print) “2/III” 
• Centre: “Selbstbildnis” (Self-Portrait)
• Right on lower corner of the image: “F Staeger” (artist’s signature)

References:

• Muschler, Conrad Reinhold. Ferdinand Staeger: Eine Monographie. Leipzig: Verlag Max Koch, 1925. (Note: This remains the definitive authoritative monograph published during his prime printmaking years)
• Leisching, Julius. Ferdinand Staeger. Vienna: Artur Wolf, 1913. (Note: Documenting his first master portfolio of 10 original etchings that launched his printmaking career)
• The Cultural Foundation of German Expellees: Biography of Ferdinand Staeger: https://kulturstiftung.org/biographien/staeger-ferdinand-3  

Commentary on the Artist:

Ferdinand Staeger is one of the major Austro-German graphic artists of the early-to-mid 20th century. His work is strongly connected to the Symbolist movement. An earlier example of his graphic work may be seen in the illustrations for “Deutsche Gedichte: mit Schattenbildern”, 1908 (German Poems: with Shadow Pictures; see  https://archive.org/details/deutschegedichte00frau/page/12/mode/thumb) epitomising the elegance of his designs. His later work, by contrast, is more reliant on dense and intricate line work executed with the same technical precision as his earlier designs.

This self-portrait (Selbstbildnis), with the depicted hand-mirror inscribed with the Latin word “VERITAS” (Truth) clarifies the artist’s intent: to capture an uncompromised truthful visual documentation of both his physical features and psychological mindset without vanity or wishful idealisation.

Price & Shipping:

AU$336 (approx. US$234.88 / €205.19 / £175.10), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes (if applicable) are the buyer’s responsibility.

To acquire this psychologically penetrating self-portrait of an artist—the hand-glass inscribed with “VERITAS” testifying to the artist’s intent to represent himself as truthfully as he is able—please contact oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless and protected transaction.