Charles Émile Jacque's etching (with roulette and engraving), “Forgeron”, 1850

Charles Émile Jacque (1813–1894)

“Forgeron”, 1850, pre-lettered/proof state before the addition of publication details of the thirteenth plate in the series of twenty prints, “20 sujets composés et gravés à l'eau-forte par Ch. Jacques” (20 subjects composed and etched by Jacques Ch.). Note that the British Museum has an impression taken from a late edition when the print “had been reworked in places, notably the shadows” to compensate for “obvious signs of wear” to the pate and this later edition was printed by Auguste Delâtre (1822–1907).

Etching with roulette and engraving on chine collé on heavy wove paper with wide margins and backed on a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 31.8 x 24.6 cm; (plate) 15.6 x 13.7 cm; (chine collé) 14.1 x 12.3 cm; (image borderline) 13.4 x 11.7 cm

Inscribed with the artist name on plate within the image borderline at lower right (somewhat concealed in the shadows.

State ii (of iv?) with the addition of roulette work but before the addition of publication details and later reworking (see BM No. 1889,0608.126).

IFF 240 (Inventaire du Fonds Français: Bibliothèque Nationale, Département des Estampes, Paris, 1930); Guiffrey 1866 93 (undescribed state) (J-J Guiffrey 1866, “L'Oeuvre de Charles Jacque: catalogue de ses eaux-fortes et pointes seches”, Paris)

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Blacksmith working at a forge, placing an iron rod into the hearth; various tools on the left, an anvil on the right ...”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3501141&partId=1&searchText=1851,0802.87&page=1)   

See also the description of this print at the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.128613

Condition: richly inked, faultless impression in superb/museum-quality condition for its age (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, stains, abrasions, foxing or signs of handling). The sheet is backed on a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this magnificent etching by one of the luminaries of the Barbizon School for AU$188 (currently US$136.20/EUR119.34/GBP106.32 at the time of posting this print) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this remarkable etching from the 19^th century of a blacksmith at work in his forge, exemplifying the spirit and interests of Barbizon School of artists, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.