Adolphe Appian’s etching, “Chaland au Bord d'une Rivière”, 1865

Adolphe Appian (1818–1898)

“Chaland au Bord d'une Rivière” (aka “Barge on the Edge of a River”; “River Bank with Two Figures”), 1865. This small etching was published by the Société des Aquafortistes in the album for their fourth year in 1^st January, 1866.

Etching on fine laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 14 x 22.1 cm; (plate) 7.8 x 12.9 cm; (image borderline) 5.7 x 10.8 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (upper left corner) “Appian 186[5]”

State i (of iii) before the addition of publication details.

Curtis & Prouté 18 i (Atherton Cutiis & Paul Prouté 1968, “Adolphe Appian son Oeuvre Gravé et Lithographié”, Paris, Paul Prouté, [n.p.] cat. no. 18 i); Jennings 15 (Herbert H Jennings 1925, Adolphe Appian (essay) in “Print Collector’s Quarterly,” vol. 12, no. 1, p. 97 & 114, cat. no. 15 [see https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/print_collectors_quarterly1925/0134/scroll]).

The British Museum holds a copy of this print in its third state: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1878-1109-225.

In Hamerton’s 1876 edition of “Etching and Etchers”, Hamerton offers the following interesting insights about Appian’s prints: “…his [Appian’s] work is that each plate, however large or however small it may be, is conceived from the first as a whole, and the first conception is never departed from for the disproportionate realisation of some obtrusive detail.” Going further, “…Appian sees always in masses, and gives quite as much detail as is consistent with the preservation of the mass” (pp. 202–03).

Condition: a richly inked, strong and well-printed first state impression in an excellent condition with no holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this marvellous etching that in one sense sparkles with light and space, but, from a very different way of looking, seems to be overlaid inexplicably with a heavy melancholic mood, for the total cost of AU$288 (currently US$192.47/EUR192.47/GBP159.67 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 small and very beautiful jewel of an etching executed by an artist with a strong personal vision (as exemplified by this print) and close connection with the Barbizon School, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.