Augustin Massé, “A View of Venice”, c.1886, after Félix Ziem

Augustin Massé (aka Pierre Augustin Massé) (fl.1880–1894)

“A View of Venice”, c.1886, a rare pencil-signed proof before lettering for publication, after Félix Ziem’s (aka Felix Francois Georges Philibert Ziem) (1821–1911) painting, “Venise, vue du palais des Doges” in the collection of the Musée d'Orsay, Paris (see https://www.musee-orsay.fr/fr/oeuvres/venise-vue-du-palais-des-doges-71099), with a hand inscribed dedication by Augustin Massé to his teacher and friend, Émile Boilvin (1845–1899).

Etching on fine laid paper with wide margins inscribed with the artist’s signature and dedication to Émile Boilvin.

Size: (sheet) 33 x 38.5cm: (plate) 23 x 28.7cm; (image borderline) 17.6 x 24.6cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline along the lower edge: (left) “PA Massé”; (right) “Ziem”.

Inscribed in pencil below the image borderline: (right) "A mon maitre et ami Boilvin/ Aug. Massé” (To my teacher/master and friend Boilvin/ Aug[ustin] Massé).

The British Museum holds a similar etching executed by Alfred Brunet-Debaines (aka Alfred Louis Brunet-Debaines) (1845–1939) and offers the following description: “View of Venice, with gondola in the centre foreground, beyond at right a ship, and in the background the city, dominated by the campanile; after a painting by Ziem (Musée d'Orsay, Paris)/ 1887” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1887-0613-214 [BM inv.no. 1887,0613.214]). Interestingly, the British Museum also holds another etching of the same painting by Ziem by an unidentified printmaker: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1922-0722-73 (BM inv.no. 1922,0722.73).

Condition: a strong and near faultless impression with wide margins in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or signs of handling.

I am selling this exceptionally beautiful impression that is pencil-signed by the artist with a dedication to his teacher and friend, for AU$282 in total (currently US $176.32/ EUR 168.98/ GBP 140.28 at the time of posting this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU $282) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this exquisite etching, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Émile Boilvin’s etching, “Baigneuse”, 1887

Émile Boilvin (1845–1899)

“Baigneuse” (Bather), 1887, published in Paris as an illustration to the poem by Henri Cazalis (1840–1909) (aka [pseudonyms] Jean Casell; Jean Lahor)—now famous for coining the term “Les Nabis” for avant-garde artists seeking to revitalise art in a way that ancient prophets had revitalised Israel—“La Femme et l’Onde” (The Woman and the Wave), page 46 in the art periodical, “Revue Illustrée: les Lettres et les Arts”, volume 2, 1888 (https://archive.org/details/p2leslettresetle1888pariuoft/p2leslettresetle1888pariuoft/page/46/mode/2up.

Etching and drypoint on cream wove paper, signed and dated in the plate.

Size: (sheet) 32.1 x 22.9 cm; (plate) 26.8 x 18.8 cm; (image borderline) 22.6 x 17 cm.

Inscribed in plate at lower left corner: “E[mile] Boilvin inv. et sc 1887”.

Beraldi not described (?) (Henri Béraldi 1885, “Les graveurs du XIXe siècle: Guide de l'amateur d'estampes modernes: BELLANGÉ–BOVINET”, vol. 2, Paris, Librairie L. Conquet, pp.148–151).

Beraldi (1885) offers the following insightful and glowing assessment of Émile Boilvin: “(transl.) Delicate and distinguished talent which comes from the masters of the French school of the 18th century; elegant and fine drawing, very careful engraving. There is no artist more demanding of himself: Bolvin delivers nothing with which he is not absolutely satisfied; what only half pleases him is immediately destroyed. Perhaps he even pushes scruples too far which certainly deprive us of excellent works” (vol. 2, pp. 148–49).

Note that Boilvin executed a related etching of a standing bather for the Société des Amis de l'Eau-Forte; see https://www.mahmah.ch/collection/oeuvres/baigneuse/e-2019-0362-001.

Condition: a strong and well-printed (near faultless) impression. Beyond a closed/backed tear/chip in the left margin, the sheet is in an excellent condition with no holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing.

I am selling this finely executed and very beautiful etching of a nude young woman bathing executed 24 years after the controversy/scandal surrounding Manet’s “Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe” (1863) and “Olympia” (1863), for AU$226 in total (currently US$147.48/EUR136.07/GB116.54 at the time of posting 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 simply marvellous etching worthy of close study—note, for instance, the velvety drypoint blacks describing the shadows of the foreground rocks—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Émile Boilvin’s etching, “The Snake Charmer”, 1875, after Mariano Fortuny

Émile Boilvin (1845–1899)

“The Snake Charmer” (aka “Le Charmeur de Serpents”), 1875, after Mariano Fortuny’s (aka Mariano José María Bernardo Fortuny y Carbo; Mariano José María Bernardo Fortuny y Marsal) (1838-1874) painting “Encantadores de serpientes hindúes” (Hindu Snake Charmers), 1869, in the collection of the Walter Art Museum (inv. no. 37.117), printed by Alfred Salmon (aka Adolphe Ardail; Salmon & Ardail; Alfred Fortuné Salmon) (fl.1863–1894) and published in Paris in the art periodical, “Gazette des Beaux Arts”, 1875, opposite page 278 (see https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=bU9RAAAAYAAJ&pg=GBS.PA278-IA2&hl=en).

The Walters Art Museum offer the following insights regarding Fortuny’s painting (“Encantadores de serpientes hindúes”): “Mariano Fortuny accompanied General Prim's military expedition to Morocco in 1860. Following the defeat of the Moroccan army at the battle of Tétouan, Spain controlled a portion of the western Sahara until 1976. On a number of occasions, Fortuny returned to North Africa, where the clarity of the atmosphere and the intensity of the sunlight profoundly influenced him. In this scene, set outdoors at twilight, a turbaned Indian mesmerizes a cobra with a reed. The artist, a collector of Islamic decorative arts, includes such accessories as a copper bowl, [lustre] plate, and saddle.” (https://art.thewalters.org/detail/17251/hindu-snake-charmers/).

Etching with plate tone on cream laid paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 17.5 x 27.3 cm; (plate) 13 x 23.7 cm; (image borderline) 9.5 x 21.4 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline (left) “FORTUNY PINX./ Gazette des Beaux-Arts.”; (centre) “LE CHARMEUR DE SERPENTS.”; (right) “BOILVIN SCULP./ Imp. A. Salmon, Paris.”

Beraldi 7 (Henri Béraldi 1885, “Les graveurs du XIXe siècle: Guide de l'amateur d'estampes modernes: BELLANGÉ–BOVINET”, vol. 2, Paris, Librairie L. Conquet, p. 150, cat. no. 7 [EAUX-FORTES POUR LA GAZETTE DES BEAUX-ARTS]).

The National Museum of American History offers a description of this print: https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_786557.

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed (near faultless) impression with margins as published and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing larger margins. Beyond a pale mark on the edge at right, the sheet is in an excellent condition.

I am selling this intriguing image of a stork contemplating a snake lying between the bird’s feet while a young man and his companion appear to be (sadly) “toying” with the snake, for AU$231 in total (currently US$159.37/EUR156.10/GBP132.91 at the time of posting 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 marvellous etching that not only exemplifies the interest of the time in other cultures (viz. “Orientalism”), but also (at least to my eyes) showcases Fortuny’s fascination with the sparkling effects of light on surfaces, 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