Franz Edmund Weirotter's etching, “Plate I: Twelve Views of Normandy”, 1761

Franz Edmund Weirotter (aka Franz Edmund Weyrotter; Franz Edmund Weirauter; Franz Edmund Weyherolter) (1733–1771)

“Plate I: Twelve Views of Normandy”, 1761, title plate to the series “XII Vues de la Normandie", dedicated to Brillon Duperon and published by Jean Georges Wille (aka Johann Georg Wille; Jean Georges Will) (1715–1808).

Etching on laid paper trimmed around the platemark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 14.7 x 20.7 cm; (image borderline) 13.5 x 19.9 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (on rock) “XII. VUES DE LA NORMANDIE".

Numbered on plate above the image borderline: (left) “l”.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) "Dessiné d'après Nature/ AParis chés Wille Graveur du Roi Quay des Augustins."; (centre) “Dédiéca à Monsieur […] Brillon Duperon, Ecuyer.”; (right) “et Gravé par F.E. Weirotter./ Par son très Humble et très obéissant/ Serviteur Weirotter".

State ii (of ii) Lifetime impression (based on the strong lines showing no sign of wear to the printing plate).

Winterberg 47 II (Thilo Winterberg 1998, “Franz Edmund Weirotter [1733–1771]: Der Landschaftsradierer: Das Graphische Werk”, Heidelberg, Galeria Palatina, p. 116, cat. no. 47, II).

Thilio Winterberg (1998) offers the following description of this print:

(transl.) “Large farmstead on the river bank. […] In the center of the picture is the large building.  In front of it you can see a mighty boulder and bushes. On the right-hand edge of the illustration, several rowing boats can be seen on the river and parts of a city on the far bank.  In the foreground, in the middle of the image, there is a damaged boat pulled onto the beach” (p. 116).

See also the British Museum’s description of this print:

“Beach scene with boats to right and houses with thatched roofs; second state with coat of arms below”

https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1501461&partId=1&searchText=Weirotter+Vues+de+la+Normandie&page=1.

Condition: well-printed strong early impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate. Beyond a nick to the upper right corner, the sheet is in near faultless condition and is laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this title plate etching from an important series of views that signalled a fresh way of looking at nature—note for instance how Weirotter has integrated the thatched buildings into the surrounding landscape rather than with an eye focused on the buildings at the expense of their context—for the total cost of AU$236 (currently US$143.76/EUR128.98/GBP117.56 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 rare title-plate etching in museum-quality condition, 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