Nicolas Chaperon’s etching, “Noah Leaves the Ark”, 1649, after Raphael

Nicolas Chaperon (aka Nicolas Chapron) (1612–1654/5)

“Noah Leaves the Ark” (aka “Noé sortant de l'arche après le deluge”; “Noah leaving the ark after the flood”; “Noach verlaat de ark na de Zondvloed”), 1649, plate 11 from the series or 54 plates (including the Title and Dedication plates), “Raphael Bible” (aka “Sacrae Historiae Acta a Raphael Urbin in Vaticanis xystis ad picturae miraculum expressa”), after Raphael’s (aka Raffaello Sanzio; Raffaello Santi) (1483–1520) frescoes in the Logge di Raffaello of the Vatican, published in Rome by Pierre Mariette I (c.1603–1657).

Etching on heavy laid paper with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 27.1 x 39.8 cm; (plate) 23.6 x 25.4 cm; (image borderline) 22.2 x 24.8 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: “R. V. I.” (Raphaelis. Urbinatis. Inventor.); (centre) “Reuersæ sunt aguæ de terra, Cgressus est ergo Noë fusij eius,/ Et uxores et omnis species animantium. Gen.VIII.” (The waters were returned from the earth, and Noah went forth, and his sons, and their wives, and every kind of living thing. Gen. 8); (right) “N. C. F. (Nicolas. Chaperon. Fecit.)/ Typis P. Mariette Via Iacobea Sub jnsigne Spei 11”.

State iii (of iv) compare with the state iii impression held by the Rijksmuseum (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.92195).

Robert-Dumesnil 13 (Robert-Dumesnil 1842, “Le Peintre-Graveur Français”, Paris, vol. 6, p. 220, cat. no. 13 [https://archive.org/details/bnf-bpt6k65576943/page/n239/mode/2up): IFF 11 (Département des estampes 1939–, “Inventaire du Fonds Français: Graveurs du XVIIe Siècle”, vol. 2, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, vol. 2, p. 270, cat. no. 11).

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum (no image): https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_L-66-13. Note that the Curator of the British Museum offers an insightful account of the publication of the series in which this plate is a part and describes the title plate; see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_L-66-1.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression (near faultless) with full margins as published in 1649. Beyond minor handling marks, the sheet is in an excellent condition for its considerable age and size with no tears, holes, abrasions, losses or significant stains.

I am selling this fascinating image of Noah and his family standing beside the Ark with doves flying above holding the olive branch—Noah’s tell-tale sign that the waters of the deluge had receded (Genesis 8:18 – 9:17)—while pairs of animals disembark from the Ark, for AU$312 (currently US$212.23/EUR192.68/GBP167.09 at the time of this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) 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, 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