Alphonse Descaves’ etching, “Edmond and Jules de Goncourt”, c1855, after Félix Nadar

Alphonse Descaves (aka Alphonse-Louis Descaves) (1830–1890)

“Edmond and Jules de Goncourt”, c1855, after a photograph (c1855) by Félix Nadar (aka Gaspard Félix Tournachon) (1820–1910).

The famous French brothers, Edmond (1822–1896) and Jules de Goncourt (1830–1870), were inseparable and even in death I understand that they were buried in the same grave. In fact, they were so close that the following extract from their journal (“Le Journal des Goncourt” [1851], 20 December 1866) says it all: [transl.) “We are now like women who live together, whose health mingles, whose periods come at the same time: our migraines come to us on the same day” (vol. 2, p. 308). Perhaps not surprising, they also worked collaboratively as writers and both were artists whose prints I have showcased earlier; see:

- Jules de Goncourt’s etching, “Portrait de Chardin”, 1876, after Maurice Quentin de La Tour (https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2021/07/proof-and-lettered-states-of-jules-de.html);

- Jules de Goncourt’s etching, “Profil d'homme”, c1861, after Paul Gavarni (https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2021/03/jules-de-goncourts-etching-profil.html);

-  Jules de Goncourt’s etching, “Le Goblet D'Argent (after Chardin)”, 1862 (https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2020/09/jules-de-goncourts-etching-le-goblet.html).

Etching (with dot roulette) on cream wove (Japon) paper with wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 30.9 x 23.8 cm; (plate) 18.6 x 12 cm.

Inscribed in plate: (on cushion) “Alph^se Descaves”.

Condition: a strong and near faultless impression in near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this amazingly fine etching of the remarkable French brothers who wrote collaboratively about everyday life in the art world of Paris during the late 1800s, for the total cost of AU$224 (currently US$150.57/EUR142.15/GBP125.08 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 and very beautiful 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

Cornelis Visscher II’s engraving (with etching), “John the Evangelist”, 1650

Cornelis Visscher II (aka Cornelis Vischer) (1628/9–1658)

“John the Evangelist” (aka “Evangelist Johannes”; “S. Ioannes”), 1650, from the series of four plates, “The Four Evangelists” (aka “Vier Evangelisten”), published in Haarlem by Cornelis Visscher II.

Engraving with etching on laid paper trimmed around the image borderline with the partial loss of the writing edge, backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (support sheet) 42.8 x 34.4 cm; (sheet) 25.5 x 19.2 cm; (image borderline) 23.2 x 19.2 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Corn. Vischer Inveniebat”; (centre) “S. IOANNES”; (right) “Corn. Vischer Sculpebat”.

State ii (of ii)

Hollstein Dutch 14-2(2) (Christiaan Schuckman [comp.] 1992, Dutch and Flemish Engravings, Etchings and Woodcuts, ca. 1450–1700: Cornelis de Visscher, Cornelis Visscher, Hendrick Jansz Visscher, Lambert Visscher”, vol. 40, Roosendaal, Koninklijke Van Poll, p. 22, cat. no.14).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “St John, half-length, holds quill pen and spine of open book with an eagle holding an inkpot in its beak; he looks upwards as if seeking inspiration. 1650 Engraving and etching” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1839-0413-168).

See also the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.191093.

Condition: a strong and well-printed (near faultless) impression, trimmed around the image borderline with partial loss of the writing edge and laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains (but there is a dot stain on the artist’s name at lower right) or foxing.

I am selling this superb engraving (with etching) showing the apostle, John the Evangelist; looking upwards in a moment of inspiration while writing his gospel assisted by his symbolic attribute, an eagle, holding an ink pot, for the total cost of AU$277 (currently US$186.07/EUR176.24/GBP155.58 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 masterwork from the mid-1600s, 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

Comte de Caylus & Nicolas Le Sueur’s etching and chiaroscuro woodcut, “The Virgin Accompanied by Saints”, c1729, after Pietro Antonio de' Pietri

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

“The Virgin Accompanied by Saints” (aka “La S^te. Vierge Accompagnée de Pusieurs Saints”), c1729, plate 135 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 Pietro Antonio de' Pietri (aka Pietro de Pietri; Pierre de Pietri) (1663/5-1716).

This is a rare early impression before the woodcut component was replaced by aquatint when published by François Basan (1723–1797) in 1764. The British Museum holds a later impression where an aquatint plate is employed to imitate the woodcut plate: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1855-0609-216.

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 chiaroscuro woodcut printed in black (etching component) and two shades of blue (woodcut component) on heavy laid paper with wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 54.6 x 40.7 cm; (plate) 41.9 x 24.2 cm; (image borderline) 37.8 x 22.7 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (centre) “La S^te. Vierge accompagnée de pusieurs Saints./ Dessein de Pierre de Pietri, qui est dans le Cabinet de M^r. Crozat/ Gravé à l’eau forte par Mr. le C… de c., et en bois sous sa conduit par Nicolas le Sueur.”; (right) “135”.

Le Blanc 9 (Charles Le Blanc 1854-1888, “Manuel de l'amateur d'estampes: contenant le dictionnaire des graveurs de toutes les nations” [4 vols.], Paris, p. 543, cat. no. 9); IFF 370 (Inventaire du Fonds Français: Bibliothèque Nationale, Département des Estampes).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “The Virgin and child with saints; the Virgin and Child sit on a pedestal at centre, at right a monk approaches and offers a flower, behind him stand a female figure carrying a vase, and a bearded man; in the foreground, to the right, a bearded saint carrying a book kneels before the Virgin, and at left St Lawrence stands with his hand resting on the gridiron; after a drawing by Pietri. c.1729 Etching and chiaroscuro woodcut printed in two shades of blue” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_2014-7072-1).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression in excellent (near pristine) condition with no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this curiosity of a composite print employing etching and chiaroscuro woodcut (i.e., a woodcut involving more than one tone of a colour) for AU$319 (currently US$214.61/EUR203.47/GBP179.72 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 early impression of a technically important print, 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

Paul Laurent’s etching, “Calice de Saint-Remi”, c1881

Paul Laurent (aka Félix Paul Simon Laurent) (1840–1891)

“Calice de Saint-Remi” (aka “Chalice of the Coronation in Reims”), c1881, printed by Charles Chardon aîné (fl. mid-1800s) and published in Paris in 1881 as an illustration to the art periodical “Gazette des Beaux-Arts”, between pages 98–99, 1^st February, 1881.

Etching on fine cream wove paper, trimmed with a small margin around the image and backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (support sheet) 39 x 30.4 cm; (sheet) 24.4 x 16.9 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image: (following the base of the chalice) “Paul Laurent del et sculpt.”; (left) “Gazette des Beaux-Arts”; (centre) “CALICE DE SAINT-REMI/ (TRÉSOR DE REIMS)”; (right) “Imp. Ch. Chardon ainé”.

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed (near faultless) impression, trimmed slightly unevenly around the platemark (and within it on the lower edge) 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, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this breathtakingly beautiful (at least to my eyes) etching of the late 12^th century coronation chalice that was (almost unbelievably) set to be melted down at the Monnaie de Paris, but returned by Napoleon III to Reims in 1861—only twenty years before this print was executed in 1881 (see Vassil: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calice_du_sacre_Tau.jpg)—for the total cost of AU$202 (currently US$121.91/EUR128.80/GBP113.80 at the time of posting 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 superb etching—note how the artist has been able to differentiate the opaque milky sheen of the studded pearls from the dark transparency of the rough-cut gems and the reflective surface of the gold—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

Jan Collaert I’s engraving, “Elisha Visits the Shunammite Woman”, c1579

Jan Collaert I (aka Hans Collaert) (c1525/30–1580)

“Elisha Visits the Shunammite Woman” (aka “Elisa bezoekt de Sunnemitische vrouw”), c1759, plate 1 from the series of six engravings (Hollstein 122–127 [de Vos]), “The Story of Elisha” (aka “The Story of Elisha and the Shunammite Woman”; “Het verhaal van Elisa en de Sunnemitische vrouw”), after the design by Maarten de Vos (aka Maarten de Vos; Maerten de Vos) (1532–1603), published in Amsterdam by Volcxken Diericx (Volcxken Dierickx; Volcxken Diericx) (fl.1570–1600). Note that this print was later published by Claes Jansz. Visscher (aka Nicolaes Jansz.Visscher; Piscator) (1587–1652) in 1643 (possibly in “Thesaurus Sacrarum Historiarum Veteris Testament”). This impression is from the initial edition by Volcxken Diericx.

Engraving on fine laid paper (with watermark) with small margins around the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 23.2 x 31 cm; (plate) 21.2 x 28.8 cm; (image borderline) 19.2 x 28.4 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (far left below door) “H. C. F.”; (lower left) “M. de vos. Inue”; (right) “Aux. 4. Vents.”

Lettered and numbered in plate below the image borderline in two columns of two lines of Latin text: “1.// Fercula leta parat Sunamis, et mollia strata … prole futuram.”

State iii? (of iv) before the addition of publication details for Claes Jansz. Visscher in the final state.

New Hollstein (The Collaert Dynasty) 59 (Ann Diels & Marjolein Leesberg [comp.] 2005–2006, “The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: The Collaert Dynasty,” vol. 8, Ouderkerk aan den Ijssel, Sound and Vision, pp. 73 & 77, cat. no. 59); Hollstein 122 (Christiaan Schuckman [comp.] 1996, “The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: Maarten de Vos,” vol. 44, Rotterdam, Sound and Vision Rijksprentenkabinet, cat. no. 122); Riggs 196 (Timothy A. Riggs 1977, “Hieronymus Cock: Printmaker and Publisher,” New York, Garland Publishing).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “The prophet Elisha comes to dinner with a couple from the city of Shunem. Later in the evening, the woman comes to him. As a reward for her hospitality, he blesses her and swears that she will conceive a son within a year. The print has a Latin caption and is part of a series about Elisha and the Shunammite woman” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.97251).

See also the description offered by the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1937-0915-85.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression with small margins. Beyond a flattened centrefold and restoration of a loss on the lower edge of the centrefold, the sheet is in an excellent condition for its considerable age with no significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this event-filled engraving—note that the portrayed biblical scene has composite events with Elisha shown at left being greeted at the door of the Shunammite woman’s house and in the foreground he is shown seated while blessing the woman with news that she will conceive a son with a year—for AU$303 (currently US$206.42/EUR194.65/GBP171.54 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 superb engraving exemplifying the Flemish Mannerist leaning towards lively rhythms, theatrical gestures and spatial ambiguity, 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