Lazarus Gottlieb Sichling, “Death Mask of Napoleon”, c.1840, after Luigi Calamatta and the Antommarchi cast

Lazarus Gottlieb Sichling (1812–1863)

“Death Mask of Napoleon”—Napoleon I, Emperor of France (aka Napoleon Bonaparte; Napoleon) (1769–1821)—c.1840, engraving after Luigi Calamatta’s [1801–1869] engraving executed in 1834 of the Antommarchi cast—the title for the cast made by Napoleon’s physician, François Carlo Antommarchi (1780–1838) and/or Francis Burton.

Engraving on buff wove paper with a small margin around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 21 x 16.1cm; (image borderline) 16.8 x 13.8cm.

The British Museum offers the following description of Luigi Calamatta’s engraving which Lazarus Gottlieb Sichling’s engraving copies: “Death mask of Napoleon, after the so-called Antommarchi cast; facing front, crowned with laurel wreath, with insignia of the Legion of Honour around the neck, and sword placed in front of it; in decorative frame” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1848-1125-347).

Note that the Harvard Art Museums offer reproductions of both Calamatta and Sichling’s engravings for comparison: https://harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/247612.

Lettered in plate: (within the image borderline at lower centre) “NAPOLEON”; (below the image borderline at lower right) “Sichling sculps”.

Condition: a strong and well-printed (near faultless) impression. The sheet has a small margin around the image borderline and laid upon a sheet of millennium quality washi paper providing wide margins. Beyond minor age-toning, the sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or stains.

I am selling this finely executed engraving expressing an aura of gravitas appropriate to the subject of a death mask, for the total cost of AU$264 (approximately US$172.04, EUR 147.06 or GBP 126.94), including express mail shipping worldwide. Import duties, if any, are the responsibility of the buyer.

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

Luigi Calamatta, “The Vow of Lous XIII”, 1837, after Ingres

Luigi Calamatta (1801–1869)

“The Vow of Lous XIII” (aka “Louis XIII dedicating the Kingdom of France to the Virgin and Child”; “Voeu de Louis XIII”) 1837, after the painting by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres (1780–1867), printed by F. Chardon, Ainé (fl.1820–1860) and published in Paris by Rittner et Goupil (fl.1829–1841).

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

Size: (sheet) 61.2 x 41.5 cm; (image borderline) 59.5 x 39.9 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “PEINT PAR INGRES.”; right) “CALAMATTA DIS. E INCISE.”

Beraldi 22 (Henri Béraldi 1886, “Les Graveurs du XIXe Siècle: Guide de l'Amateur d'Estampes Modernes: BRASCASSAT–CHÉRET”, vol. 4, Paris, Librairie L. Conquet, pp. 54–56, cat. no. 22); Le Blanc 4 (Calamatta); Courboin 3220 (Ingres).

Interestingly, Henri Beraldi (1886) testifies to the importance of this print by quoting a letter sent to him from one of Calamatta’s more famous students, Léopold Flameng. The following is an extract from this letter in translation: “… the Vow of Louis XIII, of the most beautiful print I know; here is the one to be admired: he [Calamatta] knew how to give his burin style and grandeur, he raised the art of burin engraving to its highest expression!” (p.56).

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1877-1013-270 (inv. 1877,1013.270).

A strong and well-printed impression, trimmed with a small margin around the image borderline and backed with a sheet of millennium quality washi paper. There is a significant, but restored/replenished, scrape mark through the centre of the image. Beyond this important issue there are no tears, holes, folds or significant stains.

I am selling this huge and famous etching acclaimed by the 19^th century French printmaker, Léopold Flameng, as being “the most beautiful print I know”, for AU$340 (equivalent to approximately US$216.18, EUR 206.54, or GBP 171.36 at the time of listing) and includes Express Mail Service (EMS) postage and handling to any worldwide destination. Please note that any import duties or taxes levied by the destination country are the responsibility of the buyer and are not included in the purchase price. Payment is requested in Australian dollars (AU$340).

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