Jean Lepautre's etchings, Plates 1, 2 & 5 from "Ancient and Modern Marine Friezes, Foliage or Tritons", c1664

Jean Lepautre (aka Jean Le Pautre; Jean Lepotre; Jean Le Potre) (1618–1682)

“Plate 1” (upper title plate), “Plate 2” (middle plate) and “Plate 5” (lower plate), c.1664, after the designs of Jean Lepautre, from the series, “Frizes, Feuillages ou Tritons Marins Antiques et Modernes” (Ancient and Modern Marine Friezes, Foliage or Tritons), published by Pierre Mariette II (1634–1716) in Paris with privilege from Louis XIV (King of France).

Etchings on fine laid paper with margins.

Size (with slight variations between plates): (sheet) 19.7 x 25.5 cm; (plate) 14.8 x 21.9 cm; (image borderline) 14.2 x 21.3 cm.

Inscribed on plate:

“Plate 1” (on banner in lower frieze): “Frizes Feuillages ou Tritons marins/ antiques et modernes nouuellement des/ signees et grauées par I le Pautre Ce ven/ dent a Paris chez P. Mariette Rue/ St. Iacqaues a lésperance. Auec priuil. du Roy.”; (lower right corner) “I”.

“Plate 2” (between the two friezes): “Ce vendent a Paris ches Pierre Mariette rue St Iacque a Lesperance auec priuilge du Roy”; (lower right corner) “I Le Pautre fecite 2”.

“Plate 5” (between the two friezes): “Ce vendent a Paris ches Pierre Mariette rue St Iacque a Lesperance auec priuilge du Roy”; (lower right corner) “I Le Pautre fecite 5”.

References:

“Plate 1”: Orn Cat II 953 (Peter Fuhring 2004, “Ornament Prints in the Rijksmuseum II: the Seventeenth Century”, vol. 3 in the series, “Studies in Prints and Printmaking”, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum Sound and Vision, part 1, p. 182, cat. 953).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(transl.) “The title is in the lower frieze on a cartouche in the shape of a drapery.”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.414013)

“Plate 2”: Orn Cat II 954; IFF 1568 (Inventaire du Fonds Français: Bibliothèque Nationale, Départment des Estampes. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, 1930-).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(transl.) “In the upper frieze there is a round medallion with Pan that surprises Syrinx among the reeds.”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.414014)

“Plate 5”: Orn Cat II 957

Although I have been unable to find a description of this print offered by the major museums, from my reading of the double friezes I wish to propose the following:

- the ornamental design of the upper panel features Hercules fighting with the Nemean lion;

- the lower panel features the eagle as a symbol of Vulcan who is tied to the two lovers that I assume might be Venus and Mars by a cord carried by the airborne amor/cupid—traditionally the child of Venus and Mars. (Forgive me if I my proposal is incorrect.)

Condition: richly inked, near faultless early/lifetime impressions in near pristine condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains, foxing or signs of use).

I am selling these marvellously rich etchings of ornamental frieze designs for the total cost of AU$350 (currently US$237.30/EUR215.50/GBP183.84 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 set of etchings by one of the most famous—and certainly one of the most prolific—French designers of ornament in the 17^th century, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This set of prints has been sold