Maxime Lalanne’s etching, “Vue Prise Du Louvre,” 1882

Maxime Lalanne (aka François Antoine Maxime Lahanne) (1827–1886)

“Vue Prise Du Louvre” (aka “Vue de Paris”), 1882, first state impression before titling in the second state and publication in “Portfolio” (1883) (vol. 14, p. 32) and in PG Hamerton’s “Paris in Old and Present Times” (Seeley: London 1885) (opp. p. 12).

Etching on heavy cream wove paper, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (unevenly shaped sheet) 26.5 x 36.9 cm; (plate) 18.8 x 29 cm; (image borderline) 17 x 27.8 cm.

Inscribed on the plate within the image borderline: (lower left corner) “vue prise du Louvre/ Maxime Lalanne”; (lower right) “Paris 1882"

(Note: in 1924 a photogravure of this print was published with the artist’s name, title and “Plate 38” lettered below the image borderline.)

State i (of iii) before the addition of the etched title.

Villet 146 (Jeffrey M. Villet 2010, “The Complete Prints of Maxime Lalanne: Catalogue Raisonné, Lithographs and Etchings,” 3^rd ed., Washington, art@home fine prints, n.p. cat. no 146); Beraldi 125; Bibliothèque Nationale 87.

Condition: richly inked and well-printed impression, laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There is faint age-toning surrounding the platemark where the print must have once been window-mounted and a few dot and minor stains (e.g. in the upper right corner of the margins and in the margin near the lower right corner of the plate mark, otherwise the sheet is in very good condition (e.g. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or foxing).

Note that this is the second impression of this print that I have listed. The previous copy has been sold. When I read what I wrote in the earlier post (now deleted) I found this comment that I made that may still be interesting regarding Lalanne’s health when he executed this etching:

“… by 1882 Lalanne was suffering from osteomalacia and was only able to see through his left eye. In short, his vision was monocular (as if looking through a camera rather than binoculars) with the outcome that he could only see focal planes rather than focal points.” Now that I look at this print, I think I still agree with my early proposition. Perhaps I should also add another thought that I wrote in the previous listing: this print reveals a singular vision of landscape where all components are of equal and supportive importance. For example, the clouds in this scene are drawn to be an integral part of the scene in the sense of being neither irrelevant nor too arresting to the eye—a feat that is much harder to achieve than one may imagine!

I am selling this major print by Lalanne— Henre Beraldi (1889) in “Les Graveurs du XIX ème Siècle”, vol. IX, proposes that this etching is one of LaLanne’s nine principal plates—and a historically significant image of Paris in the late 19^th century, for the total cost of AU$278 (currently US$204.88/EUR172.02/GBP153.48 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this sweeping view of Paris executed by one of the most famous draughtsmen/etchers of the 19^th century, 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