Bernard
Picart (1673–1733)
“Atlas Supports the Heavens on His Shoulders”, 1731, Plate 43 (XLIII) from
the series of sixty plates, “Le Temple des Muses” (Neu-Eröfneter Musen-Tempel),
pages 119–120, published in 1733 by Zacharie Chatelain (fl.1700–50) and
later in 1754 in Amsterdam and Leipzig.
Etching and engraving printed from two plates on laid paper with full
margins as published.
Size: (sheet) 44.7 x 30 cm; (outer plate) 35.3 x 25.3 cm; (outer image
borderline) 34.1 x 24.9 cm.
Inscribed on plate below the (inner) image
borderline in four languages (French, English, German and Dutch): (left) “Atlas
Porte Le Ciel …/ Atlas supports the Heavens on his shoulders.// …./ …”.
LeBlanc 85-146 (J.Ch. Brunet & Ch. Leblanc 1854[–1889], “Manuel de
l'amateur d'estampes, contenant un dictionnaire des graveurs de toutes les
nations: ouvrage destiné à faire suite au Manuel du libraire”, vol. 3, Paris, p.
192, cat. nos. 85-146).
The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:
(Transl.) “Titan Atlas carries heaven on his back, as punishment for his
part in the revolt against Jupiter. Through Perseus he is turned into a
mountain range. In the margin the title in French, English, German and Dutch.
The performance is decorated with an ornamental border.”
All the plates (including this plate) illustrating “Le Temple des Muses” are
available online at “Heidelberg historic literature – digitized”; see details
about this plate:
Art of the Print offers marvellous insights and technical details about
this print and its publication:
Condition: richly inked and well-printed impression in excellent/near
pristine condition beyond light rippling along the lower margin edge (i.e.
there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of
handling).
I am selling this stunningly beautiful engraving showing Atlas—a Titan
from mythology—holding up the sky with the mountain range, The Atlas Mountains,
of northwest Africa behind him, for AU$336 in total (currently US$226.86/EUR207.42/GBP184.05
at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere
in the world.
If you are interested in purchasing this museum quality engraving printed
from two plates—an outer “frame” plate and the inner “image” plate—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
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