Ferdinand Gaillard'S engraving,“Gattamelata”, 1866

Ferdinand Gaillard (aka Claude-Ferdinand Gaillard) (1834–1887)

“Gattamelata”, 1866, after a bronze statuette study (?) by Donatello for his equestrian statue of the Venetian mercenary leader nick-named “Gattamelata” (transl. “spotted cat”)—because of his cunning—now standing in the Piazza del Santo, Padua. Burin engraving on grey chine-collé, printed by Alfred Salmon (fl.1863–1894) and published in the “Gazette des Beaux-Arts” (January 1, 1866) in Paris.

Lettered on plate below the image: (left) “Gazette des Beaux-Arts”; (centre) “F. GAILLARD DEL. ET SCULP. / GATTAMELATA / STATUE ÉQUESTRE DE DONATELLO”; (right) “Imp. A. Salmon à Paris”.

Beraldi 1885-92 18.V (Henri Beraldi 1885, “Les Graveurs du dix-neuvième siècle”, 12 vols plus supplement, Paris); IFF 34 (Département des Estampes 1930, “Inventaire du Fonds, Français: graveurs du XVIIe siècle”, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale).

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3365518&partId=1&people=27559&peoA=27559-2-61&page=5

For a superb analysis of Gaillard’s contribution and historical context, see Stephen Bann’s article, “Photography by Other Means? The Engravings of Ferdinand Gaillard” in “The Art Bulletin”, vol. 88, No. 1 (Mar., 2006), pp. 119–138 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/25067228).

Condition: faultless impression that is so finely executed and well-printed that it resembles a photograph or photogravure—but it is an engraving executed (almost unbelievably) solely by hand. The sheet is in near pristine condition—there is a faint spot in the margin at lower right—laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper.

I am selling this masterpiece of engraving by one of most famous of the nineteenth century engravers who is described by Félix Bracquemond (see my last post) as the “continuer and renovator of burin engraving” (see Bann’s [2006] article discussed above, p. 124), for the total cost of AU$198 (currently US$141.27/EUR125.13/GBP108.13 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 remarkable print that (arguably) will never be surpassed for the skill and discipline employed to engrave in microscopic detail, 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