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Tuesday 24 December 2019

Théodore Géricault's lithograph (in collaboration with Léon Cogniet), “Le Maréchal Français”, 1822


Théodore Géricault (1791–1824) in collaboration with Léon Cogniet (1794–1880)

“Le Maréchal Français” (aka “The French Farrier”; “The French Blacksmith”), 1822, from the series of twelve lithographs and the title plate, “Études de Chevaux” (Horse Studies) (aka “Grands Chevaux” [Great Horses]), printed by François le Villain (aka Villain; Ch Villain; F Villain) (fl.1822–1852), published by Gihaut Frères (fl.1815–1871) in Paris in 1822.

Regarding the execution of this lithograph, Loys Delteil (1902) in his catalogue raisonné for Gericault advises: “Lithographie exécutée en grande partie par Léon Cogniet” (Lithograph executed in large part by Léon Cogniet) (p. 116).

Lithograph on heavy wove paper with wide margins and backed with a support sheet.
Size: (sheet) 38.2 x 48.9 cm; (image borderline) 27.3 x 36.3 cm.
Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) "Géricault del."; (centre) "chez Gihaut éditeur et Md. d'Estampes, Boulevard des Italiens, No.[ 5]."

State ii (of ii) with the erasure of “Lith. de Villain” at lower right (see Loys Delteil 1902 catalogue: https://archive.org/details/gri_33125005992975/page/n115  

Delteil 84.II (Loys Delteil 1906, “Le Peintre-Graveur Illustré [XIXe et XXe siècles]: Théodore Géricault”, vol. 18, Paris, Loys Delteil, p. 116).
The British Museum offers the following description of this print:
“In the centre foreground, a restless horse is being shod by a farrier, while further back to left a man sees to another horse, and to right a third man is visible indoors hammering a glowing shoe on an anvil.”

See also the description of this print at The Metropolitan Museum of Art:

Regarding the series, “Études de Chevaux”, of which this plate is a part, the curator of the BM offers the following insights:
“Delteil quotes a passage from Ch. Clément, 'Géricault', which states that in order to satisfy public demand, the Gihaut brothers asked for a repeat of the artist's 'The English Set', but that only horses were required. Six equestrian subjects from the original series were retained and Géricault produced watercolours which were to serve as designs for the remaining six. He asked Léon Cogniet and Volmar to execute the work, and he directed the project, sending work back and making some corrections” (BM no. 1868,1114.293).

Condition: marvellously strong impression with generously wide margins and laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet is in excellent condition for its considerable age (i.e. there are no tears, folds, holes, abrasions, significant stains or foxing).

I am selling this large lithograph that is seldom seen on the art market and executed by the hand of the grand master of Romanticism, Géricault, in collaboration with his key lithographer, Cogniet, for AU$362 in total (currently US$250.52/EUR225.84/GBP193.51 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 spectacular lithograph, 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












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