Charles Jacque’s etching, “Le Matin”, 1864

Charles Jacque (aka Charles Émile Jacque; Charles Jaque) (1813–1894)

“Le Matin” (Morning), 1846, plate 10 from the series of 24 etchings, “Collection d'eaux-Fortes”, printed in Paris by Sarazin (aka Sarasin) (fl.c1846-1880).

Etching and drypoint on chine collé (China) on cream wove paper with wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 28.9 x 41 cm; (plate) 14 x 21 cm; (chine collé) 9.9 x 16.2 cm; (image borderline) 9 x 15.4 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (lower left) “ch. Jacque”.

Lettered on plate above the image borderline: (left) “No. 10.”; (right) “2.”

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “CH. JACQUE”; (centre) “LE MATIN”; (right) “SARAZIN IMP.”

State iii (of iii) Guiffrey (1866) describes the second and third states: “Deuxième état: Le ciel est resté clair; la cheminée de la cheminère laisse échapper de la fumée; point sèche sur toute la planche. Troisième état: Tout est repris un burin & à la pointe; ciel coloré; la fumée est énlevée.” ([Transl.] “Second state: The sky remained clear; the chimney of the chimney lets out smoke; dry point all over the plate. Third state: Everything is taken over with a burin & at the tip; colourful sky; the smoke is raised.”) (p. 92).

Guiffrey 186 iii (J.-J. Guiffrey 1866, “L'Oeuvre de Ch. Jacque”, Paris, Lemaire, p. 92, cat. no. 186); IFF 289 (Jean Adhémar & Jacques Lethève 1954, “Inventaire du Fonds Francais Apres 1800”, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, cat. no. 289).

Guiffrey (1866) offers the following description of this print:

(Transl.) “At the first light of the morning, mounted on one of his animals, a plough boy leaves the village with his two horses. A dog precedes them running. On the left, the houses still immersed in a semi-darkness; near them we can make out a man; to the right, other houses further away. Signed: Ch. Jacque.” (p. 92).

See also the description offered by the British Museum:

“Morning: landscape with in the foreground a peasant riding a horse going to the right, accompanied by another horse; cottages in the background; lettered state. 1864
Etching, on chine collé” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1889-0608-215).

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed impression with generous margins in a near pristine (museum quality) condition with no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, stains or foxing.

I am selling this very poetic and romantically beautiful—perhaps even iconic image—of what I see as the passing era in rural France towards the end of the 19^th century before mechanization began to change everyday life, for AU$279 (currently US$215.83/EUR180.15/GBP155.92 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 exceptionally evocative etching by one of the luminaries of the Barbizon School, 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