Pieter Dupont’s engraving, “Cheval de Labour”, 1902

Pieter Dupont (1870–1911)

“Cheval de Labour” (aka “Rustend ploegpaard”; “Resting plough horse”), 1902, printed by Alfred Porcabeuf (aka Alfred Louis Porcabeuf) (fl. 1895–1946?) and published in Paris in the periodical, “Gazette des Beaux-Arts”, in February 1903.

In 1898 Dupont executed a similar print in reverse, “Ploegpaard aan de oevers der Seine” (Plough horse on the banks of the Seine), featuring an almost identical resting horse in an arched position; see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1919-1111-8. Although the position of the horse is similar, the subject of plough horses was explored numerous times by Dupont; see for example, “L'Outillage” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1919-1111-15);  “l'Attelage” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1908-1014-333) and “Bête de labeur” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.573826).  

Engraving on fine wove (imitation parchment) paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 18.2 x 26.5 cm; (plate [soft]) 16 x 23.1[?] cm; (image borderline) 13.7 x 20.6 cm.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “Gazette des Beaux-Arts”; (centre) P. Dupont del. et sc./ CHEVAL DE LABOUR”; (right) “Imp. A Porcabeuf, Paris.”

WF Dupont 92 (WF Dupont 1947, “Pieter Dupont, een Nederlandsch graveur: zijn leven en werken”, Oisterwijk, Uitgeverij Oisterwijk, p. 151, cat. no. 92).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(Transl.) “A horse is bent over a plough. Under the belly of the horse with a view of a harrow and a ploughing pair of horses” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.584849).

Condition: a richly inked, near faultless impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet is in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this exquisitely executed engraving by one of the leading and influential Dutch printmakers at the turn of the 20^th century who sought to revive engraving in the Netherlands following the etching revival in France, Britain and the United States, for AU$243 (currently US$189.18/EUR155.75/GBP134.15 at the time of posting this print) 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 ravishingly beautiful engraving, 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