Adolphe Appian’s etching, “Ville au bord de la Mer”, c.1880

Adolphe Appian (1818–1898)

“Ville au bord de la Mer” (City by the Sea) (aka “Sea Shore” [Jennings’ title])—showing the seaside town of Collioure on the Mediterranean coast of southern France, c.1880, printed in Lyon by the brothers (?) of Jean-Marie Fugère (1818–1882) and published by the Société des Amis des Arts de Lyon.

Etching on buff chine collé on heavy wove paper with margins.

Size: (sheet) 31.7 x 39.4 cm; (plate) 21.9 x 29.7 cm; (chine collé) 20.2 x 28.3 cm; (image borderline) 17.9 x 25.4 cm.

Inscribed in plate: (upper left corner) “APPIAN”.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (centre) “Société des Amis des Arts de Lyon”; (right) “LYON, Imp. Fugère F^res

State ii (of ii) with the addition of publication details.

Curtis & Prouté 46 ii (Atherton Cutiis & Paul Prouté 1968, “Adolphe Appian son Oeuvre Gravé et Lithographié”, Paris, Paul Prouté, [n.p.] cat. no. 46 ii); Jennings 41 (Herbert H Jennings 1925, Adolphe Appian (essay) in “Print Collector’s Quarterly,” vol. 12, no. 1, p. 116, cat. no. 41 [see https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/print_collectors_quarterly1925/0134/scroll]).

In Hamerton’s 1876 edition of “Etching and Etchers”, Hamerton offers the following interesting insights about Appian’s prints: “…his [Appian’s] work is that each plate, however large or however small it may be, is conceived from the first as a whole, and the first conception is never departed from for the disproportionate realisation of some obtrusive detail.” Going further, “…Appian sees always in masses, and gives quite as much detail as is consistent with the preservation of the mass” (pp. 202–03).

Condition: a richly inked, strong and well-printed impression with generous margins. The sheet is in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this quietly poetic etching showing an endless moment cast in a blanket of silvery morning light, for the total cost of AU$315 (currently US$210.55/EUR190.50/GBP167.70 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 very beautiful etching executed by an artist with a strong personal vision (as exemplified by this print) and close connection with the Barbizon School, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.