Jean Jacques de Boissieu’s etching (with drypoint), “Small Grove with Hunter”, 1772

Jean Jacques de Boissieu (aka Jean Jacques de Boissieux) (fl1736–1810)

“Small Grove with Hunter” (“Petit Bosquet avec Chasseur” [Perez title]) (aka “Landscape with a man carrying a gun” [Fitzwilliam title]), 1772. Regarding the date of this print, the Curator of the British Museum offers the following insight:

“The date of the plate is based on a letter by De Boissieu's brother; however Perez notes that it seems a little late considering the awkwardness of the composition” (see BM no. 1853,0312.410)

Note: Perez, in his catalogue raisonné (p.130), advises that this plate was inscribed directly from nature without preliminary drawing and mentions a feature that I hadn’t noticed: a flowering thistle at lower left.

Etching and drypoint on cream chine collé, trimmed with narrow margins around the plate-mark and re-margined with a support sheet

Size: (support sheet) 34.6 x 37.6 cm; (sheet) 16.5 x 22 cm; (chine collé) 15.8 x 21.4 cm

Inscribed on plate with the artist’s monogram of entwined letters: (upper left) “DB”.

State iv (of iv) with the rounded lower-right corner.

Perez 55 IV (Perez, Marie-Félicie 1994, “L'Oeuvre gravé de Jean-Jacques de Boissieu”, Geneva, pp. 130–31); IFF 55 (Inventaire du Fonds Français: Bibliothèque Nationale, Département des Estampes, Paris, 1930).

See the description of this print at the Fitzwilliam Museum:

http://webapps.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/explorer/index.php?qu=Boissieu%20hunter&oid=202744

Condition: rare richly inked and near faultless impression of great delicacy trimmed near the plate mark and re-margined upon a conservator’s support sheet.

I am selling this strong image of a grove of trees with a chap seemingly hunting —dare I say aimlessly?—with very long rifle for the total cost of AU$183 (currently US$131.22/EUR115.43/GBP101.93 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this graphically arresting print that one could argue links the vision of Ruisdael with the artists of the Barbizon School, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Claude Mellan’s engraving, “Lot and his daughters”, 1629

Claude Mellan (1598–1688)

“Lot and his daughters”, 1629

The scene portrayed shows Lot's daughters encouraging their father to become drunk in order to seduce him and have his baby ... yikes! Although this engraving illustrates an Old Testament event, the frocks worn by the daughters are interestingly high fashion in the 1600s (so I understand) and I need to draw attention to the unfurling ribbon on the chest of the daughter on the left ... a fascinating detail!

Note that there is a copy of this print in reverse after Mellan that was engraved in 1634 by Claude Goyrand (c1610–1662) and published by Jean Vallet (fl1600–1636); later it was also published by Nicolas Contat (c1687–1754) (see BM no. 1851,1213.441).

Engraving on fine laid paper trimmed along the image borderline (retaining the text box) and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 16.7 x 11.3 cm

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: “Quid flammas fugisse iuuat; Si Sæuir ignis / Incestâ accendit pectora casta face? (transl. What has fled from the flames of the poison; If the flaming fire / shocking the heart is pure, light a torch?) / 'l. Mellan Gallus pinx. et sculp. Romae. Sup. pm. 1629.”

State ii (of ii)

IFF 1 (Inventaire du Fonds Français: Bibliothèque Nationale, Département des Estampes, Paris, 1930); Montaiglon 1856 2 (Anatole de Montaiglon 1856, “Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre de Claude Mellan”, Abbeville).

See the British Museum’s description of this print:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1347149&partId=1&searchText=lot&people=115103&page=1

Condition: crisp impression trimmed along the image borderline and laid upon a conservator’s support sheet of washi paper. There are replenished losses on the right edge of the sheet; otherwise the sheet is in good condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes significant stains or foxing).

I am selling this very beautiful and finely rendered engraving executed twenty years before Mellan completed his most famous print, “Sudarium of Saint Veronica” (Veil of St Veronica), 1649, which is one of the most acclaimed tour de force feats of engraving involving a single spiralled line fluctuating in its thickness to create the entire image of Christ’s head shown on a veil—the Sudarium—for the total cost of AU$364 (currently US$261.01/EUR229.61/GBP202.74 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 luminous and rare 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

Unidentified artist's lithograph, “How Sergeant Frantz accompanied by his mechanic, the soldier Guenault, shot down an ‘Aviati’”

Unidentified artist

THE FIRST IMAGE OF AN AIR BATTLE

“Duel in the Air” or “How Sergeant Frantz accompanied by his mechanic, the soldier Guenault, shot down an ‘Aviati’” (an “Avati” is a German biplane employed at the beginning of WWI on the French front—note that the gunner seated in front of the pilot needed to stand up and shoot over the propeller…crikey!), 1914, plate 14 from the series, “La Grande Guerre”, printed and published by Tolmer & Co (fl.c.1880–post 1957) in Paris.

Lithograph with hand-colouring through stencils (at the time of publication) on cream-coloured laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 28 x 40.8 cm; (image borderline) 21 x 36.4 cm

Lettered on plate above the image borderline: (centre) “LA GRANDE GUERRE” (transl. "THE GREAT WAR"); (right) No 14”.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “MODÈLE DÉPOSÉ”; (centre) “UN DUEL DANS LES AIRS / Comment le sergent FRANTZ, accompagné de son mécanicien le soldat QUENAULT, ont descendu un "Aviatik " / Le 5 Octobre 1914 dans la région de Reims on aperçut un avion allemand, qui après avoir survolé nos / lignes se préparait à rentrer dans les lignes ennemies. Aussitôt les aviateurs FRANTZ et QUENAULT, / montés sur un appareil muni d'une mitrailleuse, s'envolèrent pour donner la chasse à l'avion allemand. / La lutte fut épique. Français et Allemands la suivirent avec anxiété. L'appareil français attaqua de // flanc l'avion allemand dont le moteur fut atteint et explosa aussitôt. L'avion en flammes s'abatily loured- / ment sur le sol dans les lignes françaises. Les deux allemands qui le montaient etaient carbonisés, l'un / d'eux avait été atteint par plusieurs balles à la gorge. / L'enthousiasme de nos troupes fut grand après ce spectacle poignant, dont les deux héros furent décorés. / Cette estampe est la quatorziène d’une collection qui paraȋtra pendant la durée de la guerre”; (right) IMP., 13, QUAI D'ANJOU, PARIS”

(transl.) “A Duel in the skies. How Sergeant Frantz accompanied by his mechanic Quenault soldier brought down a plane

On 5 October 1914 in the region of Reims we saw a German plane, which after flying over our lines, was preparing to go back into the enemy lines. Soon after, the aviators FRANTZ and QUENAULT mounted on a plane with a machine gun, flew to hunt the German plane. The fight was epic. French and German people followed it anxiously. The French aircraft attacked the side of the German aircraft whose engine was hit and immediately exploded. The burning plane fell heavily to the ground on the French side. The two Germans pilots were charred: one of them had been hit by several gunshots to the throat. The enthusiasm of our troops was great after this poignant spectacle, and the two heroes were decorated.

This print is the fourteenth of a collection that will be released during the war”.

The Fitzwilliam museum offers a description of this print and the following insights:

“The caption of this print recounts fairly accurately (and graphically) the first recorded aerial combat not only of the war, but of all time. On 5 October 1914 French pilot Sergeant Joseph Frantz and mechanic Corporal Louis Quénault chased and shot down a German Aviatik near Reims. They flew a Voisin, a biplane produced by brothers Gabriel and Charles Voisin, whose company had manufactured planes since 1907.

The use of aeroplanes in military combat was in its infancy. France was far ahead of the rest of the world, with 36 planes in their air corps, more than all the other fighting nations put together. Although planes were not yet perfected for long-distance flying (the Voisin depicted here had a range of 125 miles), their potential during wartime, for 'chase, observation and bombardment' was soon realised. The pilots were talented individuals; many turning to stunt work after the war ended. Flying was extremely dangerous: life expectancy of pilots was thought to be a matter of weeks or even days.”

https://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/gallery/lagrandeguerre/40.html

See also a translation of “¿Los aviones pueden por lo tanto combatir y destruirse entre ellos?” for a VERY interesting discussion of this print and its significance: https://aeropinakes.com/wordpress/reader/los-aviones-pueden-por-lo-tanto-combatir-y-destruirse-entre-ellos/

Condition: crisp and near faultless impression in excellent condition for its age (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains—but there are a few dots—or signs of use).

I am selling this exceptionally rare lithograph—I believe that this is the first published image of aerial combat— in a superb condition for its age (mindful that most WWI prints of such historical interest have been well handled and this one has escaped unharmed!), for AU$365 (currently US$262.57/EUR230.33/GBP202.46 at the time of posting this print) 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 historically significant and delicately beautiful lithograph, 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

Raphael Sadeler II's engraving, “Seascape with Christ and his Disciples in the Storm on the Sea of ​​Galilee”, c1615

Raphael Sadeler II (1584 –1632)

“Seascape with Christ and his Disciples in the Storm on the Sea of ​​Galilee” (Rijksmuseum title [transl.]) (aka “Seascape with Christ walking on the Waters” [BM title]), c1615 (1599–1632), after Paul Bril (c1553/54–1626).

Engraving on fine laid paper trimmed along, or close to, the plate-mark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 20.1 x 27.4 cm; (image borderline) 19.3 x 27 cm

Inscribed on plate below the image borderline: (left) “P Bril inuentor”; (right) “Raphael Sadeler iun Scalpsit”

State i (of i)

Hollstein 50 (Dieuwke de Hoop Scheffer & K.G. Boon [eds.] 1980, “Dutch and Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts ca. 1450-1700”, vol. 21, Amsterdam, Van Gendt & Co, p. 278, cat.nr. 50).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Seascape with Christ walking on water in lower right, a ship on a choppy sea at left, St Peter walking towards Christ at centre, smaller boats and a city in background; after Paul Bril”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3097236&partId=1&searchText=Raphael+Sadeler+Bril&page=1)

See also the description of this print at the Rijksmuseum:

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.169175

Condition: crisp impression trimmed along—or close to—the plate-mark with small tears below the image borderline, a closed tear in the dark clouds (upper left) and a few handling marks, otherwise the sheet is in very good condition (i.e. there are no holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing), backed with a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this luminous engraving portraying the moment when St Peter is distracted by an approaching storm and loses faith in Jesus’ instruction that he can walk on water and begins to sink into the sea, for AU$320 in total (currently US$243.76/EUR212.68/GBP188.04 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries). (My apologies if my explanation of this scene is flawed and for those needing greater clarity about this biblical event, see Matthew 14:22–33.)

If you are interested in purchasing this remarkable engraving rendered with the theatrical drama of the period style known as Mannerism, 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

Jean Pierre Norblin de la Gourdaine’s etching, “Polish Charity”, c1774/89.

Jean Pierre Norblin de la Gourdaine (aka Jean Pierre Norblin de la Gordaine) (1745–1830)

“Polish Charity” (MIA title) (aka “Woman gives a drink to the sick on bed”; “Sick Woodcutter”), c1774/89.

Etching on ivory China (wove) paper with small margins and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 8.3 x 6.4 cm; (plate) 7.3 x 5.5 cm

State ii (of ii) The British Museum holds a first state impression before the darkening of the shadows; see: BM No. 1877,1013.711.

Hillemacher 1848 20 II (Frédéric Hillemacher 1848, “Catalogue des estampes qui composent l'oeuvre de J. P. Norblin”, Paris); Smolik 77; Francke 23.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Night scene with woman holding a burning torch and holding out a jug to a figure lying in a bed; second state, with additional work.”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1533840&partId=1&searchText=1853,0312.282.&page=1)

See also the description of this print at the Minneapolis Institute of Art: https://collections.artsmia.org/art/105121/polish-charity-jean-pierre-norblin-de-la-gourdaine; and at the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.collect.158679

Condition: faultless impression of this miniature etching laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The upper right corner is slightly chipped , otherwise the sheet is in near pristine condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions stains, foxing, or signs of use).

I am selling this tiny jewel of an etching by one of the most important artists of the Enlightenment in Poland for AU$262 (currently US$187.89/EUR165.08/GBP146.22 at the time of posting this print) 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 masterwork from the 1700s following in the tradition of Rembrandt, 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