Adolphe Appian (born Jacques Barthélemy Appian) (1818–1898)

“Les Sources de l’Albarine (Ain)” or “The Springs of the Albarine (Ain)”, 1870

Technical Details & Condition:

Etching with delicate plate tone printed in dark brown ink on fine laid paper with small margins. This is an impression from the fifth and final state (Curtis & Prouté v/v) following the reduction of the copper plate. While the plate width was reduced from its initial size of approximately 43.8 cm down to 36.9 cm, comparison with early states shows that the internal image and borderline detail remain untouched; the reduction physically removed the wide plate margins that previously held the publication lettering. This print is after Appian’s own oil painting, Source de l'Albarine en Automne, which was exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1870.

The impression is richly inked and beautifully printed, maintaining crisp clarity in the dense foliage and reflection lines. Aside from two minuscule pinholes in the outer margin (likely inherent paper flaws from production) and a tiny brown spot in the lower margin, the sheet is in excellent condition—completely free of tears, folds, abrasions, significant stains, or handling marks.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 22.8 x 39.8 cm
• Platemark (soft): 20.5 x 36.9 cm
• Image borderline: 19.4 x 30 cm

In-Plate Lettering:

• Upper left corner: “APPIA[N] / 1870”

References:

• Curtis & Prouté 29 v (Atherton Cutiis & Paul Prouté, “Adolphe Appian: son Œuvre Gravé et Lithographié”, Paris, Paul Prouté, 1968, cat. no. 29, state v)
• Jennings 26 (Herbert H. Jennings, "Adolphe Appian", The Print Collector’s Quarterly, vol. 12, no. 1, 1925, p. 115, cat. no. 26) — Digital copy viewable via the Heidelberg University Library (https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/print_collectors_quarterly1925/0134/scroll)
• Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET): Accession No. 63.704.10—Note: The Met holds a third state copy (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/690949)
• British Museum: Museum No. 1873,0510.3454—Note: The British Museum holds a first state copy (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1873-0510-3454)

Price & Shipping:

AU$332 (approximately US$228.89/ €200.94 / £173.34), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes (if any) are the buyer’s responsibility.

To acquire this large and luminous impression—showcasing the mature printmaking skills of an artist central to the 19th-century etching revival and deeply aligned with the Barbizon School—please contact oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. Secure payment is handled via PayPal invoice for a smooth, protected transaction.

This print has been sold