Henry Augustin Valentin, “Le Christ Mort”, 1879, after Hans Holbein the Younger (2nd copy)

Henry Augustin Valentin (1822–1886)

“Le Christ Mort” (title inscribed on plate), 1879, after Hans Holbein the Younger’s (c.1497–1543) oil and tempera painting, “The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb” (1520–22) in the Musée de Bâle (Öffentliche Kunstsammlung, Basel), printed by Albert Quantin (1850–1930) and published in 1879 in Paris in the “Gazette des Beaux-Arts”, vol. 44, insert between pp. 98–99.

Regarding Holbein’s painting, Wikipedia cites the interesting proposal by the art historians, Oscar Bätschmann and Pascal Griener, that Christ's raised and extended middle finger appears to "reach towards the beholder", while his strands of hair "look as if they are breaking through the surface of the painting" (Oskar Bätschmann, & Pascal Griener 1999, “Hans Holbein”, London, Reaktion Books, p. 88 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Body_of_the_Dead_Christ_in_the_Tomb]).

Etching on wove paper with flatten gatefold and full margins as published, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 28 x 35.7 cm; (plate) 12.8 x 35 cm; (outer image borderline) 7.9 x 32 cm.

Lettered in plate along the upper edge of the image: “IESVS·NAZARENVS·REX·IVDAEORVM” (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews).

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Hans Holbein pinx/ Gazette des Beaux-Arts”; (centre) “LE CHRIST MORT/ (Musée de Bâle); (right) “H. Valentin sculp/ Imp. A Quantin”.

Condition: a richly inked and near faultless impression with generous margins laid upon a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper (to enable the gatefold crease to be flattened). The sheet is in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, abrasions, foxing or significant stains.

I am selling this visually arresting etching of Holbein’s famous painting of Christ’s entombed body stretched by crucifixion with eyes and mouth open, for the total cost of AU$246 (currently US$163.46/EUR151.54/GBP126.47 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. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$246) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this grim but superb etching, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Note that this is the second impression of this marvellous etching that I have listed. The previous copy has been sold.

This print has been sold