Joseph Burn Smeeton, “Head Study”, mid-1800s, after Correggio

Joseph Burn Smeeton (aka Joseph Burn-Smeeton) (1815–1890; fl.1840–1879)—famous as an English wood engraver working in Paris with Auguste Tilly (1840–1898) as the engraving business, Smeeton and Tilly.

“Head Study” (descriptive title only), mid-1800s, wood-engraving after a chalk drawing by Antonio Correggio (aka Antonio Allegri; Antonio Allegri da Correggio) (1489–1534)—see a reproduction of Correggio’s drawing illustrating the frontispiece to Allen W Seaby’s (1921) “Drawing for Art Students and Illustrators” (https://archive.org/details/drawing-for-art-students-and-illustrators-by-allen-w.-seaby/page/n7/mode/2up)—with a pencil inscribed dedication.

Wood-engraving printed in black on tissue-thin washi paper with a pencil-signed dedication by the artist to his friend, Gilbert, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 40.6 x 31.5 cm.

Inscribed in pencil: (lower right) “à l’ami Gilbert/ Souvenir Amical/ J Burn Smeeton” (to friend Gilbert/ Friendly Remembrance/ J Burn Smeeton).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression with generously wide margins. There are small holes and breaks in the margin, otherwise the sheet is in a good condition with no folds, abrasions or significant stains.

I am selling this incredibly fine wood-engraving that could easily be mistaken for a lithograph (before close inspection reveals the telltale burin marks), for AU$256 (approximately US$168.31, EUR 143.30, or GBP 124.73), with worldwide express shipping included. Please note that any applicable import duties are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in purchasing this pencil-signed tour de force of engraving that is so rare I have been unable to find another copy—perhaps it was a showpiece of skill for his friend, Gilbert? —please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Noël François Bertrand, “Plate 3: Four Studies of Eyes”, 1814, after Anne Louis Girodet-Trioson

Noël François Bertrand (1784-1852)

“Plate 3: Four Studies of Eyes” (descriptive title only), 1814, crayon-manner stipple engraving after studies by Anne Louis Girodet-Trioson (aka Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson; Anne Louis de Roussy Girodet-Trioson) (1767–1824), published in Paris by Paul André Basset (fl.1785–1819) as an illustration (plate 3) to the fifth book of studies for art students to copy, “Cahiers de Principes, Imitation libre de l'Antique et d'après nature” (1826) (see the IFF 43, vol. 2, p. 329 [https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5488531x/f338.item])

Crayon-manner stipple engraving on laid paper with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 50.5 x 34.3 cm; (plate) 34 x 25.9 cm.

Lettered in plate: (upper left) “5^eme. Cah.”; (lower left) “Girodet – Trioson del./ A Paris chez Basset rue S^t. Jacques N^o. 64.”; (upper right) “Pl. 3.”; (lower right) “N. Bertrand sculp./ Déposé”.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression with wide margins. There are surface marks (recto and verso), otherwise the sheet is in a good condition with no tears, holes, folds or significant stains.

I am selling this finely executed stipple engraving designed as a drawing model for art students in the early 1800s to copy, for AU$256 (approximately US$169.57, EUR 143.93, or GBP 124.84), with worldwide express shipping included. Please note that any applicable import duties are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in purchasing this very beautiful crayon-manner stipple engraving of eyes, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Mademoiselle Bareuille & D P Pariset, “Eleanor Sucks the Wound of Edward I, King of England”, 1780, after Angelica Kauffman

Mademoiselle Bareuille (fl.c.1780) in collaboration with D P Pariset (1740–fl.1783)

“Eleanor Sucks the Wound of Edward I, King of England” (aka: “Eleanora sucking the Venom out of the wound which Edward I, her Royal Consort, received from a poisoned dagger by an Assassin in Palestine”), 1780, after the design by Angelica Kauffman (aka Angelica Maria Catherine Kauffman; Maria Anna Angelika Catharina Kauffmann) (1741–1807), published in London and Paris by William Wynne Ryland (1733–1783) and probably Elisabeth Challiou (fl.c.1780).

Interestingly, the British Museum holds an almost exact copy of this print executed and published by William Wynne Ryland also in 1780 (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1992-U-9). Although I do not have knowledge regarding the reason for there being two copies of this print showing different etchers’ names, I am mindful that William Wynne Ryland was executed only three years after the publication of this print for forging bills of exchange (see transcript of his trial: https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t17830726-1).  

Colour stipple etching printed in red-brown and sanguine inks on laid paper, trimmed with a small margin around the image borderline and writing edge and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 33.5 x 38.1 cm; (image borderline) 27 x 36.9 cm.

Lettered below the image borderline: (left) “Peint par Angelique Hauffman”; (centre with text divided by a coat of arms at midway) “ÉLÉONORE SUCE LA BLESSURE D’EDOUARD I^R. ROI D'ANGLETERRE./ Eleanora sucking the Venom out of the wound which Edward I, her royal Consort, received from/ a poisoned dagger by an assin in Palestine Rapin’s Hist. Vol. III. Page 179./ Dedicated to the Queen by her Majesty’s dutiful and most obedient humble servant W Wynne Ryland/ Publish’d as the Act directs Ma[r]ch I 1780 for the Proprietor W. W. Ryland N^o. 159 Strand London./ A Paris ch[ez Challiou s]alle neuve du Palais Marchand.”; (right) “Gravé par Pariset et M^elle. Bareuille/ A. P. [D. R.]”.

The British Museum offers a description of this print: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1873-0809-310.

Condition: a strong impression trimmed with a small margin around the image borderline and writing edge and laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins. The sheet has staining in the lower margin, closed tears in the upper and lower edges with a replenished lower right corner and abraded areas.

I am offering this rare etching showing Eleanor of Castile sucking poison out of the wound of her husband Edward I of England (aka Edward Longshanks or Hammer of the Scots [1239–1307]), after an assassination attempt on him with a poisoned dagger, for the total cost of AU$285 (approximately US$186.96, EUR 159.27, or GBP 138.29), with worldwide express shipping included. Please note that any applicable import duties are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in acquiring this luminous jewel of a colour etching, please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I will gladly send you a PayPal invoice to facilitate an easy and secure payment process.

Théophile Chauvel, “Clair de Lune”, 1873, after John Crome the Younger

Théophile Chauvel (aka Théophile-Narcisse Chauvel) (1831–1909)

“Clair de Lune” (Moonlight), 1873, after a painting by John Crome the Younger (aka John Barney Crome; John Berney Crome) (1768-1821), printed by François Liénard (fl.c.1860s–1880s) and published in Paris by Jules Alexandre Saturnin Claye (aka Jules Claye) (1806–1886) between pages 16 and 17 in “Collection de M. John W. Wilson: exposée dans la Galerie du Cercle Artistique et Littéraire de Bruxelles: Et Littéraire de Bruxelles, Au Profit Des Pauvres de Cette Ville” (Collection of Mr. John W. Wilson exhibited in the gallery of the Artistic and Literary Circle of Brussels, for the benefit of the poor of that city).

Archive.org offers an online view of this print and its context in the publication: https://archive.org/details/collectiondemjoh00gale/page/n41/mode/2up. The accompanying text facing the print gives the following description: (transl.) “In the foreground, on the left, are the crenelated wall and a tower of a ruined castle. To the right, water, a willow, and other trees. The rising moon pierces this clump of trees with its rays.”

Note: The IFF (Inventaire du Fonds Français) (1949) advises that John Crome the Elder (aka “Old Crome”) (1768–1821) made the painting on which this etching is based (see cat. no. 26, p. 421 [https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5510949t/f443.item]. Nevertheless, I am mindful that reference to John Crome the Younger (John Barney Crome) is inscribed in plate as the painter and that after looking through Norman L. Goldberg’s [1978] catalogue of works by John Crome the Elder that this painting is not described.

Etching on laid paper with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 35.3 x 26.2 cm; (plate) 22.8 x 17.7 cm; (image borderline) 18.5 x 15.7 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “John Barney Crome pinx.”; (centre) “CLAIR DE LUNE/ F^çois Liénard,Imp.Paris.”; (right) “Th.Chauvel, sc.”

IFF 26 (Jean Adhémar 1949, “Inventaire du Fonds Français après 1800: CABANE–CICÉRI”, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Département des Estampes, vol. 4, p. 423, cat. no. 26 [see https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5510949t/f443.item]).

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1877-1013-1817.

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed (near faultless) impression with generously wide margins in a pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or signs of handling.

I am selling this superb and densely worked etching, for AU$238 approximately (US$155.30, EUR 132.75, or GBP 115.15), with worldwide express shipping included. Please note that any applicable import duties are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you're interested in purchasing this evocative etching, which depicts a softly glowing scene of moonlight illuminating castle ruins and, upon close inspection, a worker carrying a bundle of timber, please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I will gladly send you a PayPal invoice to streamline the payment process.