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Saturday 6 March 2021

Jules de Goncourt’s etching, “Profil d'homme”, c1861, after Paul Gavarni

Jules de Goncourt (aka Jules Alfred de Goncourt) (1830–1870)

“Profil d'homme”, c1861, after a sketch drawn with a toothpick by Paul Gavarni (aka Hippolyte Guillaume Sulpice Chevalier) (1804–1866), proof impression before numbering as plate 17 for publication in an edition of 2 impressions on vellum, 100 impressions on Japanese paper and 200 impressions on laid paper, printed by François Liénard (fl.c1860s–1880s) in Paris. Philippe Burty in his catalogue raisonné for (1876) advises: (transl.) “This etching appeared at the Salon of 1864” (p. 12).

Regarding Paul Gavarini, whose drawing this etching is based, in 1873 Jules de Goncourt and his brother, Edmond de Goncourt (1822–1896), published an account of Gavarni’s life and artworks, “Gavarni, l'homme et l'oeuvre” (see on online view of this publication offered by archive.org: https://archive.org/details/1873gavarnilhomm00gonc/page/310/mode/2up; and a later [1900] illustrated edition, “Gavarni, der Mensch und das Werk”: https://archive.org/details/gavarnidermensch02gonc/page/n7/mode/2up).

Etching with pale plate tone on tissue-thin Japanese paper, proof impression before the addition of publication details (viz. plate number and the printer’s address), backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 26.8 x 19.2 cm; (plate) 24x 15.6 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline; (upper left) “J. G. 42”; (upper left) “dessiné au cure dent/ par Gavarni”.

Burty 45 (Philippe Burty 1876, “Eaux-fortes de Jules de Goncourt”, Paris, Librairie de L’Art, p. 10, cat. no. 45; see https://archive.org/details/gri_33125008529303/page/n39/mode/2up and illustration https://archive.org/details/gri_33125008529303/page/n85/mode/2up); IFF 44 (Inventaire du Fonds Français: Bibliothèque Nationale, Département des Estampes); Beraldi 45 (Henri Beraldi 1887, “Les graveurs du 19e siècle; guide de l'amateur d'estampes modernes”, vol. 7, Paris, L Conquet, p. 173, [see, “Reproductions de dessins de Gavarni”], cat. no. 45).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Portrait of a man with tousled hair and m[o]ustache, head and shoulders, in profile to left, after Gavarni c.1861 Etching with surface tone”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1876-1111-419).

Condition: a richly inked proof-state impression laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper (because the sheet is tissue thin). The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this remarkably fine etching by Jules de Goncourt of the exceptionally famous and inseparable brothers known for their literary work and diaries centred on the social life around them, for the total cost of AU$256 (currently US$196.70/EUR164.95/GBP142.25 at the time of posting this print) 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 boldy executed portrait study after the famous French illustrator, Paul Gavarni, noted for his prints of everyday folk and their foibles (see https://www.gutenberg.org/files/64526/64526-h/64526-h.htm), 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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