Jean Léon Gérôme's etching, “La Mort de César”, 1860–70

Jean Léon Gérôme (1824–1904)

“La Mort de César” (The death of Caesar) (aka “Un Sénateur Romain”), 1860–1870, etched study excuted by Gérôme, based on his pencil drawing “The Dead Caesar“, c1859, in the National Gallery of Art, Washington (see https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.73876.html) for his 1867 painting held by the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore (see https://art.thewalters.org/detail/17030/the-death-of-caesar/). This is a proof impression stamped with Philippe Burty’s seal before publication in Philippe Burty’s (1830–1890) (ed.) “Sonnets et Eaux-Fortes”, published in 1869 by Alphonse Lemerre in Paris, as plate 14, “Un Sénateur Romain”, with a sonnet by Anatole France (1844-1924).

Note: Gérôme’s famous painting of which this etching is a study is reproduced by John Carr Armytage (aka John Charles Armytage) (1802–1897) (see https://wellcomecollection.org/works/z4372cje).

Etching and drypoint on fine wove (China) paper—possibly on chine-collé or with pale plate tone—signed on plate in reverse with red ink-stamp of the former Philippe Burty collection (Lugt 413) on the lower left, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet cut slightly unevenly) 17.4 x 24.1 cm; (plate) 13.1 x 20 cm; (image borderline) 12.7 x 19.8 cm

For an insightful discussion about this print, see footnote 25 on page 79 of Scott Christopher Allan & Mary G. Morton’s (2010) “Reconsidering Gérôme” (Los Angeles, Getty Trust Publications).

Condition: well-printed proof impression with margins, laid upon a support sheet of fine archival/millennium quality washi paper. There are light pencil notations by a former collector along the lower margin edge. There is also a red collector's seal printed at the lower-left corner of the impression borderline. This seal belongs to the famous writer and editor of the publication in which this etching features. Beyond light surface dustiness, the sheet is in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing).

I am selling this etching of the utmost rarity executed by the hand of Gérôme and stamped with the former collection seal of one of the most famous art critics of the 19^th century, for AU$530 (currently US$372.22/EUR327.22/GBP293.08 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 sensitively executed etched study by Gérôme—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