Michel Dorigny’s etching, “Aurora and Cephalus”, 1642, after Simon Vouet

Michel Dorigny (1616–1665)

“Aurora and Cephalus” (aka “Aurora and Cephalum”; “L'Aurore et Céphale”; “Aurora and Kephalos”), 1642, after a painting by Michel Dorigny’s father-in-law, Simon Vouet (1590–1649), showing the goddess of the dawn, Aurora, carrying away the shepherd, Cephalus, while his hound sleeps. Below the image is inscribed the couplet: (transl.) “It is Aurora that seizes: She carries Cephalus above the ether. Such a noble theft cannot be without light.”

This lifetime impression (based on the quality of line) was formerly in the APF Robert-Dumesnil (1778–1864) collection and bears the collector’s tiny oval blindstamp (Lugt 2200 [p. 410]) on the lower edge. Note that Robert_Dumesnil famously wrote the eleven-volume catalogue raisonné, “Le Peintre-Graveur Français …” which includes the full catalogue of Michel Dorigny’s prints (including this print) in the fourth volume.

Etching with engraving on fine laid paper, trimmed slightly unevenly around the platemark and bearing the oval collection blindstamp of Robert-Dumesnil.

Size: (sheet) 24.6 x 16.5 cm; (image borderline) 22.1 x 15.8 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Simon voüet pinxit.”; (centre) “Quæ rapit, Aurora est: Cephalum super æthera portat./ Nobile tam furtum luce carere nequit./ Cum priuilegio Regis 1642”; (right) “M.Dorigny Sculpsit.”

Robert-Dumesnil 86 (APF Robert-Dumesnil 1835, “Le peintre-graveur français, ou Catalogue raisonné des estampes gravées par les peintres et les dessinateurs de l'école française: ouvrage faisant suite au Peintre-graveur de M. Bartsch”, vol. IV, Paris, p. 284, cat. no. 86 [see https://archive.org/details/bnf-bpt6k65579588/page/n303/mode/2up]); IFF 86 (Roger-Armand Weigert 1954, “Inventaire du Fonds Francais Apres 1800”, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, vol. III, p. 485, cat. no. 86).

Robert-Dumesnil (1835, vol. 4) offers the following description of this print that was formerly in his collection: (transl.) “Aurora, aided by Amours and Zephyrs, kidnaps the shepherd Cephalus, whose dog is sleeping on the ground” (p. 284).

See also the descriptions of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum and the British Museum: https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/RP-P-H-H-153; https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1841-1211-39-96.

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed impression, trimmed unevenly around the platemark in near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this superb (museum quality) etching bearing the tiny collection blindstamp of the famous catalogue raisonné compiler of French School prints, Robert-Dumesnil, for the total cost of AU$423 (currently US$295.25/EUR272.66/GBP241.34 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 rare etching, 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