Nicolas
Tardieu (aka Nicolas
Henri Tardieu) (1674–1749)
“Battle
of the Milvian Bridge” (aka
“Slag bij de Milvische brug”; “Bataille de Constantin
contre le Tyran Maxence”; “Constantini pugna contra
Maxentium Tyrannum”), 1715, after the design by Charles
Le Brun (aka Charles Lebrun) (1619–1690) and after Peter Paul
Rubens’ (aka Petrus Paulus Rubenius) (1577–1640) painting (with significant
differences), from the series, “Werken van Charles le Brun” (The work of
Charles le Brun), published by Nicolas Tardieu in Paris with royal privilege.
Note that Girard
Audran (aka Gérard Audran) (1640–1703) also made an etching with engraving
of the same composition in 1666. The British Museum offers the following
description of the portrayed scene: “The Victory of Constantine over Maxentius
(28 October AD 312); the bridge is on the right with Constantine in profile and
raised spear riding onto it, amid a vast melee of soldiers and horses” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1842-0806-167-a-c).
Etching with
engraving on laid paper trimmed around the image borderline and the lines of
text, backed with a support sheet.
Size: (sheet)
28.7 x 59.5 cm; (image borderline) 25 x 59.5 cm.
Lettered below the
image borderline: (left) “Carol. le Brun inv.”; (left of centre) “CONSTANTINI
PUGNA CONTRA MAXENTIUM TYRANNU/ V. Kal. Novembris anno Christi 312,/ CONSTANTIN
us quum de extinguenda […] suis exitum invenit./ A Paris chez N. Tardieu rue St.
Jacques au Mecenas. Avec Privilege du Roy.”; (right of centre) “BATAILLE DE
CONSTANTIN CONTRE LE TYRAN MAXENCE/ Donnée le 28 Octobre l’an 312 de Jesus
Christ./ CONSTANTIN, confirmé par la vision […] de ses crimes.”; (right) “N.
Tardieu excudit 1715.”
LeBlanc 42–53
(Charles Le Blanc 1854-1888, “Manuel de l'amateur d'estampes: contenant le
dictionnaire des graveurs de toutes les nations”, vol. 4, Paris, p. 5, cat.
nos. 42–53).
See also the
description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.417895.
Condition: a
strong and well-printed impression trimmed along the image borderline and
retaining the lines of text below. There are spots of abrasion (especially in
the lower margin) that have been restored. The sheet has been laid upon an
archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper providing wide
margins.
I am selling
this magnificent and very large etching (with engraving) executed with amazing skill
to capture the complexity of the scene—note that the portrayed battle was more
of a massacre than a combat and the grimness is summed up by the kneeling
figure in the centre-foreground who is not only beheading a fallen horseman but
is also holding in his mouth the severed head of a previous victim (following
the Roman principle that soldiers were rewarded by the number of adversaries’ heads
of that they collected)—for AU$374 in total (currently US$249.98/EUR226.18/GBP199.11
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 grand manner 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
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