Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema’s etching, “Croquis”, 1878

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (aka Alma Laurence Tadema) (1836–1912)

“Croquis” (sketch) (aka “Sketch for the Improviser” [Rijksmuseum’s alternative title]), 1878, printed and published in Paris by Alfred Cadart (1828–1875). Note that Alma-Tadema’s painting of this composition was exhibited in the Royal Academy in 1944 (see BM no. 1922,0722.3).

Etching with drypoint and light plate tone on cream laid paper with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 49 x 33.6 cm; (plate) 27.9 x 19.9 cm; (image borderline) 24.9 x 17.5 cm.

Numbered on plate above the image borderline: (indistinctly at upper right corner) “456.”

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “L.Alma-Tadema, del.et.sc.”; (centre) “CROQUIS”; (right) VveA.Cadart,Edit.Imp.56Bard.Haussmann,Paris.”

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Young man standing on a field, looking upwards, his right arm stretched out at his side and holding a lyre on his left arm, three figures sitting in the background behind him.”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1545860&partId=1&searchText=Lawrence+ALMA-TADEMA+&page=1)

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(transl.) “A man stands in a field, with a lyre on one arm, looking upwards. Three seated figures in the background.”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.collect.71735)

Condition: crisp, well-printed impression in near pristine condition (i.e. there are no tears, folds, holes, abrasions, significant stains, foxing or signs of use—nevertheless the edge of the sheet have undulations that may be a “natural” attribute of the large sheet).

I am selling this exceptionally rare etching executed by the hand of one of the most famous painters of classical antiquity in the nineteenth century, for AU$224 (currently US$158.01/EUR138.55/GBP124.62 at the time of this listing) 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 poetically minimal and very beautiful etching exemplifying the classical leaning of the Victorian Age, 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