Prints and Principles

Most of the recent posts give details about individual prints and earlier posts discuss some of the subtle principles guiding artists in making images meaningful and memorable. For prints that are unsold, click "Items still available for sale" below. All other prints are no longer available. My contact email is oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com and my Instagram username is @printsandprinciples. I have created a separate blog to show my own work: https://printsandprinciplesjamesbrown.blogspot.com

Friday, 30 May 2025

Paolo Mercuri, “The Execution of Lady Jane Grey”, c.1858, after Paul Delaroche (2nd copy)

Paolo Mercuri (aka Paul Mercury) (1804–1884)

“The Execution of Lady Jane Grey” (aka “Jane Gray”), c.1858, after Paul Delaroche’s (aka Hippolyte Delaroche) (1797–1856) painting (1833) in the National Gallery, London (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Execution_of_Lady_Jane_Grey), printed in Paris by Goupil & Cie (fl.1827–1919) with the inscribed note: “Tiré de la Galerie du Prince Anatole Demidoff” (From the Gallery of Prince Anatole Demidoff [Count Anatole Nikolaievich Demidov, 1^st Prince of San Donato, 1812–1870]).

Etching with engraving on heavy wove paper, trimmed within the platemark with a margin around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 32.7 x 37.5 cm; (image borderline) 29.2 x 35.3 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Peint par Paul De la Roche”; (centre) “Tiré de la Galerie du Prince Anatole Demidoff (right) “Gravé par P. Mercury”.

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print (before lettering): (transl.) “Lady Jane Gray is kneeling on a cushion. She is blindfolded and fumbles forward with her hands. In front of her is a chopping block. A man in a rich fur-trimmed cloak bends over her. Next to [them] is the executioner with an axe ready. In the background two crying women” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.339926).

Condition: a strong and near faultless impression with small margins around the image borderline (1 cm on top and sides and 2.5 cm on the lower margin) and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains.

I am selling this large and finely executed etching (with engraving)—a true masterwork of nineteenth century reproductive printmaking— for AU$300 (approximately US$192.40, EUR 169.73, or GBP 142.93), including express mail shipping worldwide. Import duties, if any, are the responsibility of the buyer.

If you are interested in purchasing this magnificent and historically important etching, 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