Henri Guérard’s drypoint and aquatint, “Le Printemps”, 1886, after Botticelli

Henri Guérard (aka Henri Charles Guérard) (1846–1897)

“Le Printemps”, (publ.) 1886, after a fragment of Sandro Botticelli’s (aka Sandro di Mariano Filepepe Botticelli; Alessandro Filipepe) (c.1444/5–1510) famous painting, “Primavera” (c.1470s–80s) in the collection of the Uffizi Gallery, Florence (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primavera_(Botticelli)), printed by L. Eudes (fl.1876–1888) and published in Paris in the art periodical “Gazette des Beaux-Arts” in the December 1886 edition between pages 474 and 475.

Drypoint, aquatint and engraving printed in bistre coloured ink on laid paper, trimmed with small margins around the platemark and backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 18 x 20.6 cm; (plate) 16 x 19.7 cm; (image borderline) 13.2 x 17.8 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Sandro Botticelli. pinx./ Gazette des Beaux-Arts.”; (centre) “LE PRINTEMPS/ (Fragment du tableau de l’Académie de Florence.)”; (right) “H. Guérard sc./ Imp. Eudes.”

Pierre Sanchez & Xavier Seydoux 1998, “Les Estampes de la Gazette des Beaux-Arts 1859–1933”, Paris, l’Echelle de Jacob, p. 108, cat. 186-15; Claudie Bertin 526; IFF 48-4; H. Béraldi 478;

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression trimmed with a small margin around the platemark and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing generously wide margins. Beyond a dot in the lower margin, the sheet is in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this gloriously glowing and sensitively executed drypoint (with aquatint and engraving) for AU$255 (currently US$170.44/EUR154.22/GBP135.75 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.

If you are interested in purchasing this marvellous study of a fragment of Botticelli’s “Primavera” showing the mythological figures, the Three Graces— Aglaea (“Shining”), Euphrosyne (“Joy”) and Thalia (“Blooming”)—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