Jean Pierre Norblin de la Gourdaine’s etching, “The Farewell”, c1774/89

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

“The Farewell” (MIA title) (aka “Man Kneeling for Grieving Woman”), 1774­–89.

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

Size: (sheet) 14 x 10.4 cm; (plate) 12.9 x 9.5 cm

State ii (of ii) The British Museum holds a first state impression showing the head of Diana at the upper right in profile before it is turned towards the viewer in the second state (see: BM no. 1877,1013.734).

Hillemacher 1848 16.II (Frédéric Hillemacher 1848, “Catalogue des estampes qui composent l'oeuvre de J. P. Norblin”, Paris); LeBlanc 23

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Dark interior with man kneeling before woman in grief; on the right, statue of Diana.”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1533880&partId=1&people=113103&peoA=113103-2-60&page=1)

See also the description of this print at the Minneapolis Institute of Art: https://collections.artsmia.org/art/105117/the-farewell-jean-pierre-norblin-de-la-gourdaine; and at the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.158672  

Condition: richly inked and well-printed, crisp impression with small margins laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The margin corners are lightly stained from having once been glued (verso) to an old support sheet, otherwise the sheet is in very good condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains, foxing, or signs of use).

I am selling this small jewel of an etching by one of the most important artists of the Enlightenment in Poland for AU$322 (currently US$228.60/EUR203.72/GBP175.22 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's use of dramatic (chiaroscuro) lighting, 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