Auguste
Gaspard Louis Boucher Desnoyers (aka Auguste Gaspard Louis [Baron] Boucher-Desnoyers) (1779-1857)
“Bélisaire” (aka
“Belisarius en de
jongen” [Belisarius and the boy]), 1806, after Baron François
Gérard’s (aka
Baron François Pascal Gérard) (1770–1837) painting, “Belisarius”, 1797, printed
by Ramboz (aka Rambox) (fl.1793–1830) in Paris and stamped at lower left
with “Le Timbre des Ptolémées” (Lugt 2789).
Regarding this
mark, Frits Lugt (2002) in “Les Marques de Collections de Dessins & d’Estampes”
advises (in transl.): “This mark, known as the Stamp of
the Ptolemies, was printed by the engraver on the beautiful first proofs of
his engravings” (p. 520).
Engraving with
etching on heavy wove paper with a narrow margin around the platemark and
backed with a support sheet.
Size: (sheet)
56.3 x 41.4 cm; (plate) 55.1 x 40.7 cm; (image borderline [outer edge]) 55.5 x
38.4 cm.
Lettered in
plate below the image borderline: (left) “F. Gérard Pinx.t/ Se trouve à Paris
chez l'Auteur,/ Rue du Cœur Volant, No. 7, Frg. St. Gin:”; (centre) “BÉLISAIRE/
Dédié a Son Excellence, Monseigneur,/ CHARLES MAURICE TALLEYRAND,/ Ministre des
Relations Extérieures./ Pierre Picquet, Scripsit.”; (right) “Aug.te Desnoyers
Sculpt. 1806/ Imprimé par Ramboz./ Par son très humble Serviteur,/ Auguste
Boucher Desnoyers.”
Stamped at
lower left with Desnoyers
seal: “Le Timbre des Ptolémées.”
IFF 17 (Département
des estampes 1930–, “Inventaire du fonds français après 1800”, vol. 6, Paris, Bibliothèque
Nationale, p. 422, cat. no. 17); LeBlanc 64 (Ch Leblanc 1854[–1889], “Manuel de
l'amateur d'estampes, contenant un dictionnaire des graveurs de toutes les
nations: ouvrage destiné à faire suite au Manuel du libraire par J.Ch. Brunet”,
vol. 2, Paris, p. 118, cat. no. 64); Nagler.III.363.
The Rijksmuseum
and the MET offer descriptions of this print: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.86339; https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/395829.
See also the description
of this print and insights about its history offered in AbeBooks: https://www.abebooks.com/art-prints/B%C3%A9lisaire-D%C3%A9di%C3%A9-Excellence-Monseigneur-Charles-Maurice/22478993806/bd
The J Paul
Getty Museum offers the following description of Gérard’s painting (which this
engraving translates into line) “Belisarius” (aka “Bélisaire”):
“Along a
winding dirt path, the blind Belisarius carries his young guide. The boy has
been bitten by a snake, which remains coiled around his bleeding leg. With his
right arm wrapped limply around Belisarius's neck and his eyes closed, the
youth balances precariously between life and death. Belisarius's eyes are also
closed, but guided by his stick he moves forward with determination and
purpose. He rises heroically against the spectacular sunset, a monumental figure
creating a powerful outline against the sky. But the flaring sunset also
signals a chill night and the uncertainty of the path ahead.
Belisarius was
a popular Byzantine general of the Roman Empire whose promising career was
sabotaged by the jealous Emperor Justinian I. In 1767, a novel by Jean-François
Marmontel revived interest in Belisarius. In Marmontel's novel, the emperor has
the heroic general blinded, reducing Belisarius to begging. He is eventually
rediscovered and aided by former officers and his family. This dramatic tale of
patriotism, injustice, and redemption was widely embraced in revolutionary and
post-revolutionary France and was a popular subject for artists--including
Jacques-Louis David (François Gérard's teacher), Jean-Antoine Houdon, and
Jean-Baptiste Stouf (whose sculpture Belisarius is also in the Museum's
collection).
For this
painting, Gérard both drew and departed from Marmontel's retelling of
Belisarius's life. The general's young companion is present in Marmontel's
novel. But to stress the bravery and pathos of the subject, Gérard introduced
the incapacitating snakebite. While Belisarius was typically depicted in the
act of begging, Gérard shows him standing and erect, his muscular form in sharp
contrast to his guide's weakening body. The prominent helmet hanging from
Belisarius's belt emphasizes the general's heroic past and underscores the
injustice of his fall from favor.” (https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/225120/baron-francois-pascal-simon-gerard-belisarius-french-1797/)
Condition: a
strong early impression (as signified by the “Stamp of the Ptolemies”) trimmed
with a narrow margin around the platemark. There is pale foxing and minor signs of handling to the
sheet (i.e. marks and small abrasions to the outer edges), otherwise the sheet
is in good condition with no tears, holes, folds or significant stains and has
been laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper.
I am selling
this large and superb engraving (with etching) executed by one of the most
revered of the 19th century engravers, for the total cost of AU$262
(currently US$197.09/EUR165.52/GBP142.27 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 masterpiece of 19th century engraving
that is stamped with the engraver’s seal, “Le Timbre des Ptolémées” (Lugt 2789)—signifying
that this print is an early and fine impression— 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
