Ferdinand Gaillard’s engraving, “Gattamelata”, 1866, after Donatello

Ferdinand Gaillard (aka Claude-Ferdinand Gaillard) (1834–1887)

“Gattamelata”, 1866, after a bronze study in the Newerkerque collection attributed to Donatello (aka Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi) (c1386–1466) for the equestrian statue of the Venetian mercenary leader nick-named “Gattamelata” (transl. “spotted cat”)—because of his cunning—now standing in the Piazza del Santo, Padua.

Engraving on warm grey chine collé, printed by Alfred Salmon (fl.1863–1894) and published in the “Gazette des Beaux-Arts” (January 1, 1866) in Paris. The sheet has been trimmed slightly within the plate mark on the sides and backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (support sheet) 42 x 31.8 cm; (sheet) 27 x 17.8 cm; (chine collé) 20.2 x 16.3 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image: (left) “Gazette des Beaux-Arts”; (centre) “F. GAILLARD DEL. ET SCULP. / GATTAMELATA / STATUE ÉQUESTRE DE DONATELLO”; (right) “Imp. A. Salmon à Paris”.

State v (of v) with the publication details for the Gazette des Beaux-Arts.

Beraldi 18.v (Henri Beraldi 1887, “Les Graveurs du dix-neuvième siècle: DORÉ–GAVARD”, vol 6, Paris, Librairie L. Conquet, p. 200, cat. 18); IFF 34 (Département des Estampes 1930, “Inventaire du Fonds, Français: graveurs du XVIIe siècle”, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale).

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1870-0709-168.

For a superb analysis of Gaillard’s contribution and historical context, see Stephen Bann’s article, “Photography by Other Means? The Engravings of Ferdinand Gaillard” in “The Art Bulletin”, vol. 88, No. 1 (Mar., 2006), pp. 119–138 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/25067228).

Condition: faultless impression that is so finely executed and well-printed that it resembles a photograph or photogravure—but it is an engraving executed (almost unbelievably) solely by hand. Beyond darkening on the lower left corner, the sheet is in an excellent condition and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper.

I am selling this true masterpiece of engraving by one of most famous of the nineteenth century engravers who is described by Félix Bracquemond as the “continuer and renovator of burin engraving” (see Bann’s [2006], p. 124), for the total cost of AU$208 (currently US$132.81/EUR133.94/GBP115.37 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 remarkable print that (arguably) will never be surpassed for the skill and discipline employed to engrave in microscopic detail, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Note that this is the second copy of this engraving that I have listed. The previous copy has been sold.

This print has been sold