Comte de Caylus & Nicolas Le Sueur’s “St Philippe de Nery”, c1729/64, at Luigi Garzi

Anne Claude Philippe Comte de Caylus (1692–1765) (etching component) in collaboration with Nicolas Le Sueur (1690–1764) (aquatint component)

“St Philippe de Nery” (aka “St Philippe de Néri”), c1729/64, plate 133 from the series, “Recueil d'estampes d'après les plus beaux tableaux et d'après les plus beaux desseins qui sont en France” (Collection of prints from the most beautiful paintings and from the most beautiful designs that are in France) (aka “Recueil Crozat”; “Cabinet Crozat”), after a drawing by Luigi Garzi (aka Louis Garzi; Luiggi Garzi Romano) (1638–1721), published by François Basan (1723–1797) in 1764.

Regarding the publication of the series, “Recueil Crozat”, the Curator of the British Museum offers the following insights:

“… a series of plates commissioned by Crozat [Pierre Crozat (1665–1740)] … reproducing famous paintings and drawings of the era; 140 plates were published in 1729. A second volume formed by 42 prints (instead of the 110 plates initially planned) was issued in 1740.

After Crozat's death, the plates were sold to a company of booksellers who commissioned Mariette to reorganize the 'Recueil'; Mariette divided the plates into two volumes, added some missing descriptions, and advertised the set to the public in 1742.

In 1764, Basan [François Basan (1723–1797)] bought the plates and the text, and republished the 'Recueil', but replaced the woodcuts by intaglio prints. … where an attempt to imitate the effect of a chiaroscuro woodcut is made by using aquatint instead …”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1907-1121-14).

Etching and aquatint imitating a chiaroscuro woodcut, printed in two shades of green with black on heavy laid paper (with watermark) with wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 54.8 x 40.9 cm; (plate) 38.3 x 25.4 cm; (image borderline) 34.7 x 24.8 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (centre) “S^. Philippe de Nery./ D’apres le dessein de Louis Garzi, qui est dans le Cabinet de M^r. Crozat./ Gravé à l’eau forte par C . . . de  C . . . et en bois sous conduit par Nicolas le Sueur”; (right) “133”.

IFF 272 (Inventaire du Fonds Français: Bibliothèque Nationale, Département des Estampes); Le Blanc 25.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“St Philip Neri, kneeling at left, his left hand to his chest, and looking at the Virgin and Child, who have appeared on the right, surrounded by angels; after a drawing by Luis Garzi; lettered state. c.1729/64
Etching and aquatint imitating a chiaroscuro woodcut, printed in two shades of brown” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1855-0609-214).

See also the description of this print offered by the Louvre: https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl020603501.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression (nearly faultless) with a generously wide margins in excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this curiosity of an intaglio print (viz. etching with aquatint) that is skilfully crafted to imitate a chiaroscuro woodcut (i.e., a woodcut involving more than one tone of a colour) for AU$296 (currently US$218.58/EUR184.66/GBP157.71 at the time of posting this print) 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 technically important print showcasing a somewhat deceptive practice of the 18^th century, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

This print has been sold