Pierre Lacour’s engraving, “Second Antique Sarcophagus”, 1806

 

Pierre Lacour (1778–1859) and son

“Second Antique Sarcophagus” (aka “Second Sarcophage Antique”), 1806, plate four (illustration) to Pierre Lacour’s “Tombeaux Antiques: Trouvés à Saint-Médard d'Eyran, près de Bordeaux” (aka “Antiquités bordelaises, Sarcophages trouvés à Saint Médard d'Eyran: gravés et publiés par MM. Lacour père et fils”, engraved and published by the author in 1806 (see https://bibliotheque-numerique.inha.fr/viewer/9105/?offset=2#page=91&viewer=picture&o=bookmark&n=0&q=).  

By intention this engraving (along with drawings) served to document a part of the discoveries of antiques discovered by a farmer-ploughmen in Saint-Médard-d'Eyrans (near Bordeaux, France) in 1804 (see https://www.saint-medard-deyrans.fr/votre-village/patrimoine-histoire/les-sarcophages-de-saint-medard-deyrans/).

Pierre Lacour in “Tombeaux Antiques” (1806) makes the interesting proposal regarding the bas-relief subject of Bacchus and Ariadne featured in this sarcophagus that the author/painter/engraver/archaeologist sees as offering the “double advantage” to the remembrance of the entombed deceased; namely:

(Transl.) “…a smiling image, and … a fairly accurate allegory of the passage from sleep to death … in the awakening of a new life” (p. 27).

Engraving on laid paper trimmed within the platemark and with a tri-fold (flattened) as published, backed on a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 29 x 53 cm.

Lettered on plate above the image: (left) “Antiquités Bordelaises”; (centre) “SECOND SARCOPHAGE ANTIQUE/ A […] B […] C”; (right) “Planche Quatrième.”

Lettered on plate below the image: (left) “[abraded ‘Dessiné’] et Gravé par P Lacour”; (left of centre) “A Ampelos sur le Char de Bacchus,”; (centre) “Bacchus and Ariane./ B. Tablette sans Inscription.”; (right of centre) “C. Buste Consulaire Ebauché.”

Condition: Strong and well-printed image with the lower left inscription lightly abraded. The tri-fold creases of publication have been flattened having been laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There are tears on the right and the upper left margin, otherwise the sheet is in a good condition with no holes, losses or significant stains.

I am selling this large, superbly executed and visually arresting engraving of a marble bas-relief that was found in France only two years before this engraving documented its great beauty, for AU$268 (currently US$192.78/EUR163.49/GBP147.90 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 grand scale engraving, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.