Louis Joseph Masquelier (1741–1811)

"Plate 10", 1770, after a painting by Paulus Potter (1625–54) from "Cabinet du Duc de Choiseul / Recueil d'estampes gravées d'après les tableaux du cabinet de Monseigneur le Duc de Choiseul". (Note that according to the BM the collection of Duc de Choiseul's paintings were reproduced in a set of 128 plates (plus a title page) under the direction of Basan, and published from 1771.)

Etching and aquatint on fine cream laid paper

Size: (sheet) 17.6 x 19 cm; (plate) 13.8 X 15 cm; (image borderline) 12.8 X 14.1 cm.

Inscribed below the image borderline (left) "P. Potter pinx." and (right) "LJ Masquelier Sculp. 1770". (Note that this print is from a different state to the impression in the BM as it has neither the inscribed plate number nor the collection details.)

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: "Landscape with a shepherd seated next to a sloping road at right, five goats resting in central foreground, others on top of the slope" (http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3285511&partId=1&searchText=Masquelier+potter+&page=1).

Condition: marvellous impression with good margins and the sheet is in excellent condition. There are remnants of glue spots (verso).

I am selling this strong image of a rural world from the time that Captain James Cook visited Australia for AU$... (...) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this fine composition, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print is no longer available

Masquelier is identified by the suffix, "Le Père" [the father], tagged to his name to avoid any confusion with the artworks of his son, Claude-Louis, and another relative—wrongly credited as being another of his sons—Nicolas-François-Joseph. Interestingly, Masquelier, le père, may not have perceived his standing in society as "the father" as he often signed his artworks "le jeune" [the young(er)]. His fame rests mainly on his skill as an engraver, but this print with its freely etched lines and delicate aquatint tones demonstrates the breadth of his technical skills.