Alphonse Leroy, “Plate XXIII: Caryatid”, c. 1858

Alphonse Leroy (aka Alphonse Alexandre Leroy) (1820–1902)

“Plate XXIII: Caryatid”, c. 1858

Contextual Commentary:

Although the plate bears the historic title, “Caryatid”, and is lettered on the lower left as being after a drawing by the Italian painter and sculptor, Daniele da Volterra (1509–1566)—“Dessiné par Daniel de Volterre.”—Guermonprez and Lothe (2007) in their catalogue of Leroy’s prints propose that the subject “actually depicts a man with one leg bent behind him, carrying a load on his left shoulder” (p. 158).

Importantly, the attribution of the original drawing has evolved since Leroy's time. Originally documented in early Louvre inventories under Da Volterra's name, the drawing is currently recognised by the Louvre as a work by Baccio Bandinelli (1493–1560) tentatively depicting Atlas (inv. no. 1504). Fascinatingly, modern scholarship notes the figure's pose directly dialogues with Michelangelo's famous Atlas Slave sculpture.

The historical confusion between these two artists adds a layer of irony to the print: Da Volterra and Bandinelli were artistic polar opposites. While Da Volterra was a loyal disciple embedded in Michelangelo’s closest personal and professional circle, Bandinelli was Michelangelo's bitterest Florentine rival, completely isolated from his sphere.

Curiously, the 19th-century letterer who prepared the copper plate made a significant historical blunder in the lower margin, engraving Da Volterra's dates as "né en 1609, mort á Rome en 1666"—accidentally aging the Renaissance master by an entire century.

Technical Details & Condition:

Crayon-manner engraving printed in sanguine coloured ink on buff coloured chine collé (China paper) on a sheet of blue wove paper as issued.

This is plate XXIII (23) from the series of 31 plates commissioned under the patronage of Count Alfred Émilien O'Hara van Nieuwerkerke (1811–1892) after old master drawings transcribed as engravings to be used as drawing lesson studies (“Cours de Dessin”) in “Collection de dessins originaux de grands maîtres gravés en fac-simile par Alphonse Leroy; avec texte explicatif par MM. F. Reiset et F. Villot, conservateurs du Musée Imperial du Louvre”. The engraving was printed in Paris by L. Eudes and published by Dusacq & Cie around 1860 (with later compiled reissues extending into the 1870s).

The impression is crisp and well-printed—nearly faultless. The sheet is in near-pristine condition, completely free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, or significant stains.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 53.8 x 33.7 cm
• Chine collé: 45.9 x 27.3 cm
• Image borderline: 37.9 x 23.5 cm

In-Plate Lettering:

• Above the image: (centre) “COURS DE DESSIN / FAC-SIMILE DES GRANDS MAITRES.”; (right) “PL. XXIII”
• Below the image: (left) “Dessiné par Daniel de Volterre.”; (centre) “Impe. Eudes Paris / Daniel de Volterre, Peintre et Sculpteur, él[è]ve de Michel ange, né en 1609, mort [à] Rome en 1666. / DUSACQ & Cie Boulevart Poissonnière. 14. Paris”; (right) “Gravé par Alphonse Leroy.”

References:

• Guermonprez & Lothe 66 (Paul Guermonprez & José Lothe, “Alphonse Leroy Graveur 1820–1902”, 2007, Paris, Héritage Architecturel, p. 158, cat. no. 66).
• IFF 19 (Jacques Lethève & Françoise Gardey, “Inventaire du Fonds Français après 1800: LEPAN–LYS”, vol. 14, 1967, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Département des Estampes, p. 144, cat. no. 19) — Available via Bibliothèque Nationale de France (Gallica): https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5489453g/f156.item Note: The BNF's specific institutional exemplar for this entry is an incomplete 1873 compilation containing 26 plates that lacks plate XXIII.

Price & Shipping:

AU$261 (approximately US$183.51 / €1,663.89 / £136.78), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties, if any, are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in purchasing this large crayon-manner engraving designed as a drawing lesson study, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Please note: To show the print's fine details as clearly as possible, the scan contrast has been digitally enhanced. Consequently, the image tones may not be a perfectly faithful representation of the subtleties of the print.