Girard Audran’s etching with engraving, “Rinaldo and Armida”, c.1687, after Nicolas Poussin

Girard Audran (aka Gérard Audran) (1640–1703)

“Rinaldo and Armida”, c.1687 (1684–1690 [BM dates]), after Nicolas Poussin (1594–1665), published in Paris by Girard Audran (with privilege) and lettered with a description of the scene based on Torquato Tasso’s (1544–1595) “Rinaldo and Armida”, published in 1562: (Google translation) “Armide, seeking revenge on [Rinaldo] who had taken away his prisoners, finds him asleep on a desert island, she wants to stab him in the breast, but the beauty of this young warrior stops her, and suddenly changes [her?] hatred which seemed implacable, in this love which is so well described by Tasso and which makes one of the most beautiful ornaments of his Poem.”

The Eclectic Light Company offers an interesting article, “The Story in Paintings: Poussin’s Rinaldo and Armida” (2016) which includes a view of Poussin’s painting that Audran’s etching reproduces: https://eclecticlight.co/2016/01/24/the-story-in-paintings-poussins-rinaldo-and-armida/.

Regarding this print, the Curator of the British Museum advises: “Poussin's painting in the Dulwich Picture Gallery was made in 1629. This print has been stated to have been made by Benoit I Audran and Jean Audran, retouched by Girard” (BM inv. no. 1928,0313.268).

Etching with engraving on laid paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 45.8 x 55.8 cm; (plate) 43.3 x 53.5 cm; (inner image borderline) 38.5 x 50.7 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left of centre) “N Poussin pinxt”; (centre) “Armide cherchant a se vanger de Regnault qui luy avoit enlevé ses prisonniers, le trouve endormi dans une Isle deserte, elle/ veut luy donner d’un poignard dans le sein, mais La beauté de ce jeuneguerrier l’arreste, et change tout a coup sa haine qui/paroissoit implacable, en cet amourqui est si bien decrit par le Tasse et qui fait un des plus beaux ornemens de son Poeme./ C’est le 15. et 16e. Chant”; (right of centre) “Gravé par Audran. A Paris ruë s^t. Iacques aux 2 Pilliers d’or.  auec Priuilege.”

IFF 48 (Bibliothèque Nationale de France 1939–, “Inventaire du Fonds Français: Graveurs du XVIIe Siècle”, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Départment des Estampes, vol. 1, p. 132, cat. no. 48); Robert-Dumesnil 104 (Robert-Dumesnil 1835–71, “Le Peintre-Graveur Français”, Paris, vol. 9, p. 272, cat. no. 41).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Armida discovering the sleeping Rinaldo, after Poussin; Armida, armed with a dagger, is crouching at centre and stroking the arm of Rinaldo, who is sleeping on his shield under a tree; Cupid stands at the woman's side, at left. 1684/90 Etching and engraving” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1928-0313-268).

See also the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.72871.

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed (near faultless) impression. Beyond minor marks at upper left, the sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, significant stains or foxing and is laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this large and visually arresting etching showing the dagger-ready sorceress, Armida, wishing to kill the sleeping Christian Crusader, Rinaldo, but finding herself unable to because of her desire for him—as expressed by the suggestion of hand and hair fondling and being restrained by love personified by the winged Cupid/Amor/Eros—for AU$438 (currently US$292.76/EUR264.89/GBP233.18 at the time of posting this listing) including Express Mail 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 superb etching, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.