Pierre-Quentin Chedel’s etching, “River Landscape with Rhinoceros”, c1744, after François Boucher

Pierre-Quentin Chedel (aka Quentin Pierre Chedel) (1705–1763)

“River landscape with rhinoceros, camels, lion and two figures on a distant cliff” (descriptive title only), c1744, after the design by François Boucher (1703–1770) and later published in 1780 as an illustration (plate 94) to Jean-François de La Harpe’s (1739–1803) “Abrégé de l'Histoire générale des voyages, contenant ce qu'il y a de plus remarquable, de plus utile & de mieux avéré dans les pays où les voyageurs ont pénétré; les mœurs des habitans, la religion, les usages, arts & sciences, commerce, manufactures, enrichie de cartes géographiques & de figures” ([transl.] A summary of the general history of voyages, containing what is most remarkable, most useful, and most reliable in the countries where travellers have entered; the manners of the inhabitants, the religion, the uses, arts & sciences, trade, manufactures, enriched of maps & figures).

I suspect that this impression is from an earlier edition to the published edition of 1780 as there is no sign of the gate-fold crease (but I could be wrong about this).

Etching on laid paper trimmed with small margins near the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 15.9 x 18.4 cm; (image borderline) 15.3 x 17.8 cm

Inscribed on plate below the image borderline: (left) “BOUCHER INV.”; (right) “CHEDEL. Sc.”

Condition: crisp and well printed impression trimmed close to the image borderline and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet is in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing).

I am selling this exceptionally rare etching featuring an unusual assortment of wild animals set in a fir tree landscape, for AU$194 (currently US$139.18/EUR122.46/GBP106.30 at the time of posting 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 simply amazing etching of a rhinoceros watched by two men, three camels and a lion, while the rhinoceros looks back in what I imagine would be jaw-dropping bewilderment with seeing so many of its mates all in the same place, 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