Frantz Charlet (1862–1928)— a Belgian painter,
etcher, and lithographer
“A Young Woman Having Tea” (or “Une jeune femme prenant le thé”),
circa 1920
Contextual Commentary:
When Frantz Charlet executed
this large drypoint around 1920, Belgium was emerging from the shadows of the
Great War and looking back with deep nostalgia at the Belle Époque—a lost
golden era defined by booming industrial prosperity and an extraordinary
artistic renaissance. Charlet himself had been a central figure in that
cultural awakening; as a founding member of Les XX (The Vingt), he
belonged to a radical collective of Brussels painters, sculptors, and designers
who boldly broke away from rigid academic constraints. Through their
groundbreaking annual exhibitions, the group championed then-subversive
movements like Impressionism, Symbolism, and Divisionism, effectively reshaping
the landscape of modern European art.
The print’s subject matter
beautifully mirrors the post-World War I zeitgeist, reflecting a collective
desire to return to normalcy and present a relaxed world where life is at peace
once more. By depicting a young woman pausing for a quiet, introspective moment
over tea, Charlet utilises a classic late-19th and early-20th-century artistic
trope to evoke pre-war stability. Rather than a mere snapshot of daily life,
the composition serves as a sophisticated study of peaceful domesticity and
quiet, sensual elegance—a deliberate sanctuary of calm in a world rebuilding
itself.
Technical Details &
Condition:
Etching and drypoint with
plate tone on buff coloured wove paper with wide margins. This proof-state impression
is pencil signed by the artist with a hand-inscribed dedication at lower-right,
“à Mr. Haasen / F. Charlet”, to the intaglio printers and collectors in Paris, Raymond Haasen (1911–83), and
his father, Paul Haasen (fl. 1920–24).
The impression is strong, crisp
and near faultless. The sheet is in near pristine condition—completely free of tears, holes,
folds, abrasions, or significant stains.
Dimensions:
• Sheet: 51.8 x 35.5 cm
• Plate mark: 37.8 x 24.9 cm
• Image borderline: 35.9 x 23.5 cm
References:
• IFF (not described): Jean
Adhémar, “Inventaire du Fonds Français après 1800: CABANE–CICÉRI”, vol. 4, 1949,
(Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Département des Estampes), p. 375 — Available
via Bibliothèque Nationale de France (Gallica): https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5510949t/f397
• Bénézit: Dictionary of Artists, Vol. 3 (Bulow–Chardin), Éditions Gründ, 2006,
p. 811 — Establishes his authoritative record as a painter and printmaker
active in both Belgium and Paris.
• Le dynamic-groupe “Les XX”: Jane Block, “Les XX and Belgian Avant-Gardism,
1868-1894”, UMI Research Press, 1984 — References Charlet's foundational role
alongside James Ensor and Théo van Rysselberghe in avant-garde print circles.
Price & Shipping:
AU$268 (approximately US$184.07 / €165.18 /
£137.82), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes are the
buyer’s responsibility.
To Purchase or Enquire
For questions or a PayPal
invoice, please contact oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com.
Please note: The scan
contrast has been digitally enhanced to show the print’s fine details more
clearly. As a result, the digital image tones may not fully reflect the subtle
tonal qualities of the physical original.
