Pierre Brebiette’s etching, “Amazon Brought before Pan by Satyrs”, c.1638

Pierre Brebiette (c.1598–1642)

“Amazon Brought before Pan by Satyrs” (aka “Amazone door Saters voor Pan gebracht” [Rijksmuseum title]), c.1638 (1617–1642), possibly from the series “Quatre Scènes disposées en forme de frise, animées par de Satyres” (Four Scenes arranged in the form of a frieze, animated by Satyrs), published by Augustin Quesnel I (fl.1639–1644) possibly in 1638 if my understanding that Quesnel published an edition of 75 of Brebiette’s etchings in 1638 is correct.

Note that the British Museum holds a copy of this print with the publisher’s details for Jean Leblond I (aka Jean Le Blond) (c.1590/94–1666), but the inventory information does not reproduce the print for comparison: “Frieze-like composition with satyr dragging an amazon before Pan, enthroned on the right; on the left, a young satyr playing harp” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1854-0614-493).

Etching on fine laid paper trimmed along/close to the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 6.5 x 16.9 cm; (image borderline) 5.7 x 16.3 cm.

Inscribed in plate: (within the image borderline at lower left-of-centre) “[P] Brebiette f. in”; (below the image borderline at lower left-of-centre) “Aug. Quesnel excud.”

IFF 115–128 (Bibliothèque nationale, Département des estampes 1939–, “Inventaire du fonds français: graveurs du XVIIe siècle”, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, vol. 2 p. 123, cat. nos. 115–128).

Regarding the IFF catalogue of Brebriette’s prints, the Curator of the British Museum offers the following insight: “Brebiette etched a large number of frieze-like compositions; the IFF catalogue tries to group them together into 'sets' according to the subject or the dimensions (see Nos. 107 to 170), but this is an arbitrary cataloguing and it is unlikely that the plates were actually meant to be grouped together like this” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1854-0614-473).

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed impression (most probably a lifetime impression based on the quality of the lines showing no sign of wear to the plate), trimmed with a small margin around the image borderline. Beyond a faint mark (rust residue from a paper clip?) at centre along the upper edge, the sheet is in a very good/excellent condition for the considerable age of the print with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains.

I am selling this exemplary Baroque etching, for the total cost of AU$276 (currently US$186.33/EUR170.29/GBP146.93 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 small, but marvellous and rare etching from the early 1600s, exemplifying an interest of that time in mythological subjects underpinned with eroticism, 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