Jean Honoré Fragonard (1732–1806)
“L'Armoire” (The wardrobe), 1778, published
by Thomas-Charles Naudet
(fl.1778–1829). Proof impression (possibly a late
impression based on the type of paper) without the lettered title, “L'Armoire.”
Etching on wove paper.
Size: (sheet) 43.8 x 58.6 cm;
(plate) 39.5 x 48.8 cm; (image borderline) 33.5 x 46.2 cm.
Inscribed on plate below the
image borderline: (left) “Fragonard 1778 sculp. invenit”; (right) “A Paris,
chez Naudet M d’Estampes Port au Bled”.
State ii/iii? (of iv) Wildenstein
(1956) does not describe a state showing the publisher’s details without the
lettered title. Nevertheless, state iii shows the publisher’s name and state ii
does not show the publisher’s name. (The Rijksmuseum holds an impression of the
third state with the lettered title: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.collect.112448.)
Wildenstein 23 (Georges
Wildenstein 1956, “Études et documents pour servir à l'histoire de l'art
français du dix-huitième siècles: Fragonard Aquafortiste”, Paris, Les
Beaux-Arts Edition D’Etudes et de Documents, p. 32; illus. p. 33); Baudicour 2
(Pr. de Baudicour 1859–1861, “Le peintre-graveur français continué ou catalogue
raisonné des estampes gravées par les peintres et les dessinateurs de l'école
française nés dans le XVIIIe siècle, ouvrage faisant suite au peintre-graveur
français de Robert Dumesnil”, vol. 1, Paris, p. 159, cat. no. 2); IFF 22
(Département des Estampes 1930–, “Inventaire du Fonds Français: Graveurs du
Dix-Huitième Siècle”, vol. 9, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, pp. 289–290, cat. no. 22).
The British Museum offers the
following description of this print:
“A couple opening a wardrobe
and furious to find their daughter's lover inside; the young woman is crying on
the left, while a nosey crowd is watching the scene on the right. 1778 Etching”
(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1907-1018-56).
The Rijksmuseum offers the
following insights about this print:
“Fragonard is renowned for his
gallant scenes – often explicit – peppered with a lively sense of humour. In a
vaudevillian way, he represents here this young woman’s parents, furious upon
discovering her lover hidden in the cupboard. The unmade bed, the youth’s
forlorn look and his strategically held hat betray their interrupted sexual
encounter.”
(https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/RP-P-1952-714)
See also the description of
this print at Sotheby’s:
Condition: a strong and
well-printed impression with generous margins. The lower right margin has a large
restored tear penetrating the image, but there are no folds, holes, significant
stains or foxing.
I am selling this large masterpiece
of etching executed by one of the most famous artists of the French Rococo period,
for AU$412 (currently US$308.35/EUR254.97/GBP231.72 at the time of this
listing) including Express Mail (EMS) 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 amazing scene of domestic drama—note the errant youth’s ad hoc hat-rack
and (what is more interesting to me) the piece of wood at his foot that
symbolically protrudes out into space revealing Fragonard’s understanding of
the important principle of this teacher, Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, to suspend
objects over corner edges—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
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please let me know your thoughts, advice about inaccuracies (including typos) and additional information that you would like to add to any post.