Jean Léon Gérôme's etching, “Le Fumeur Égyptien”, c1865 (2nd impression)

Jean Léon Gérôme (1824-1904)

“Le Fumeur Égyptien” (The Egyptian Smoker), c1865, proof impression before lettering for publication in “La Gazette des Beaux-Arts” in 1868.

Etching with drypoint on grey chine collé (China) on fine laid paper (with partial watermark).

Size: (sheet) 27.4 x 17.8 cm; (faint platemark) 12.5 x 9.8 cm; (chine collé) 11.1 x 8.7 cm.

Signed in plate in reverse at lower left: “J. L. Gerôme”.

Beraldi 1 (Henri Béraldi [1885–1892], “Les graveurs du 19e siècles: guide de l'amateur d'estampes modernes”, Paris); IFF 3 (Bibliothèque Nationale, Départment des Estampes 1939–, “Inventaire du Fonds Français: Graveurs du XVIIe siècle”, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Egyptian man seen half-length, facing front, smoking a long pipe; proof before letter

Etching on chine collé” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1865-0114-82).

See also the excellent description offered by The Art of the Print:

http://www.artoftheprint.com/artistpages/gerome_jean_leon_lefumeuregyptien.htm.

Note that this is the second impression of this etching by Gérôme that I have listed. The previous impression has been sold.

Condition: a faultless impression with generous margins in near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, significant stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this jewel-like impression of the highest quality for AU$396 in total (currently US$289.96/EUR246.96/GBP209.44 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 acquiring this sensitively executed etching by the “key exponent of Orientalism in nineteenth-century France” (BM bibl. Gérôme), please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.