Louis Francois Duruisseau’s crayon-manner engraving, “Portrait of a Young Woman with Floral Wreath”, c1790, after Le Clerc

Louis Francois Duruisseau (aka Antoine Durnisseau [according to Nagler]) (1754–early 1800s)

“Portrait of a Young Woman with Floral Wreath”, c1790, a colour crayon-manner engraving (viz. a technique involving a stipple roulette tool rolled over the printing plate to duplicate crayon-like textures devised by Louis Marin Bonnet (1736–1793); see the earlier post: https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2019/12/louis-marin-bonnets-crayon-manner.html), after the design by Le Clerc—possibly Thomas Leclerc (aka Thomas Le Clerc; Pierre Thomas Leclerc) (fl. 1800s)—published in Paris by Mondhare & Jean (fl. 1784–1796)—a twelve-year publishing partnership between Louis Joseph Mondhare [fl. 1760–1792] and his son-in-law, Pierre Jean [fl. 1784–1820]—with an (in plate) dedication to Marquise Spinola.

Crayon-manner engraving with aquatint printed in black, grey and sanguine on laid paper, trimmed with a small margin around the platemark with restorations to the margins and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 56.8 x 45 cm; (plate) 55 x 44.4 cm; (image borderline) 51.7 x 41 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Le Clerc Del./ A Paris chez Mondhare et Jean rue S^t. Jean de Beauvais près celle des Noyers”; (centre) “Dédieé à Marquise Spinola.”; (right) “Duruisseau Sculp/ Par son très Humble et très Obeyβant Serviteur Le Clerc”.

Condition: a well-printed impression with restoration to chipping along the edges, replenished loss of the upper corners and minor spots of abrasion. The sheet has been laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling large and very beautiful colour crayon-manner engraving by a printmaker that is arguably best known for his colour prints featuring flowers—an appreciation expressed in issue 166 of “The Connoisseur” (1901), regarding a set of flower prints, “Cahier des Fleurs”, that is described as having “the same grace and elegance as the gowns worn by Marie Antoinette” (p. 124)—for AU$355 (currently US$237.28/EUR214.69/GBP188.99 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 remarkably fine colour engraving executed with great sensitivity, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.