Adolphe Appian, “Avant la Pluie, Village de Villeneuve”, 1869

Adolphe Appian (also known as Jacques Barthélemy Appian) (1818–1898)

“Avant la Pluie, Village de Villeneuve” (Before the Rain, Village of Villeneuve), 1869

Technical Details & Condition:

Etching on tissue-thin buff-coloured Japanese laid paper, with generously wide margins. It is an exceptionally rare proof-state impression before lettering for publication. The sheet bears a pencil inscription by an unknown hand along the lower edge (recto) providing details of the title and artist. 

The impression is strong and well-printed—a flawless proof! Aside from the pencil inscription, the sheet is in pristine condition, free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, or handling marks..

Dimensions:

• Sheet (slightly uneven): 28.9 x 39.8 cm
• Platemark (soft): 16 x 22.8 cm
• Image borderline: 12.3 x 21.1 cm

In-Plate Lettering:

• Upper left corner: “APPIA[N] 1889”

References:

• Curtis & Prouté 28 i (Atherton Cutiis & Paul Prouté, “Adolphe Appian son Oeuvre Gravé et Lithographié”, 1968, Paris, Paul Prouté, [n.p.] cat. no. 28 i)
• Jennings 25 (Herbert H Jennings, Adolphe Appian (essay) in “Print Collector’s Quarterly,” vol. 12, 1925, no. 1, p. 115, cat. no. 25)—see https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/print_collectors_quarterly1925/0134/scroll (scroll to find the page 115)

Philip Gilbert Hamerton’s insight:

In Hamerton’s 1876 edition of “Etching and Etchers”, he offers the following insights about Appian’s work:“…his [Appian’s] work is that each plate, however large or however small it may be, is conceived from the first as a whole, and the first conception is never departed from for the disproportionate realisation of some obtrusive detail.” Further: “…Appian sees always in masses, and gives quite as much detail as is consistent with the preservation of the mass” (pp. 202–03)

Price & Shipping:

AU$316 (approximately US$221.32 / €193.19 / £167.59), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes (if any) are the buyer’s responsibility.

To acquire this exceptionally rare and beautiful proof-state impression by an artist with a strong personal vision of his surroundings and a close connection with the Barbizon School, please contact oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. Secure payment is handled via PayPal invoice for a smooth, protected transaction.

This print has been sold

Thomas Riley, “Roxana”, 1882

Thomas Riley (1856–1892)

“Roxana,” 1822, commissioned by Philip Gilbert Hamerton (1834–1894) and published in London in 1882 by Seeley & Co (also known as L & G Seeley, fl. 1839–1900s) in the art periodical, “The Portfolio.”

Based on the commentary on page 25 of “The Portfolio” (1882), I understand that at the time Riley created this etching, he was working with the renowned English painter Sir Edward John Poynter (1836–1919), assisting him in painting the figures for the decoration of the Dome of St Paul’s. The subject of this etched portrait is described as “an Indian girl.” Interestingly, the commentary highlights the “leafy background,” suggesting that it “appears to have been suggested by decorative painting,” and noting that such a background “has rarely been attempted in etching” (ibid.).

Etching with plate tone printed in umber ink on cream laid paper (watermark “MBM. PORTFOLIO”) with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 34.5 x 23.9 cm; (plate) 26.5 x 23.9 cm; (image borderline)  24.4 x 18 cm.

Inscribed in plate: (lower left corner) “Tho. Riley”.

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed impression. The sheet is in a near pristine condition, free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, or significant stains.

Price & Shipping: AU$288 in total (approximately US$188.44 / €162.84 / £143.29), including worldwide express shipping. Please note that import duties are the buyer's responsibility.

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

Maxime Lalanne, “Weymouth Bay”, 1873, after Constable

Maxime Lalanne (aka François Antoine Maxime Lalanne) (1827–1886)

“Weymouth Bay” (aka “Baie de Weymouth”; “Plage de Weymouth”), 1873, after John Constable’s (1776–1837) painting in the Musee du Louvre, Paris (see https://digital.nga.gov.au/archive/exhibition/constable/detail.cfm%3Firn=145199&bioartistirn=18283&mystartrow=25&realstartrow=25&mnuid=2.html). Lalanne’s etching was exhibited in the Salon of 1874 (no. 3489) and published in London by Seeley & Co., and edited by Philip Gilbert Hamerton (1834–1894) as an insert between pages 160 and 161 to the article, “Examples of Modern Etching” in the art periodical “The Portfolio”, 1873, vol. 4.

Interestingly, there seems to be a controversy about the title of the Louvre’s painting that this etching translates into line, nevertheless the Louvre’s painting seems clearly to be the one that Hamerton (1873) describes on page 161, as “Osmington Shore, near Weymouth”.

Note that Lalanne made another etching of Constable’s painting (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1905-1021-15) but the present etching is the one published in “The Portfolio” in 1873.

Etching on laid paper, trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 12.9 x 17.5cm; (image borderline) 12.7 x 17.4cm.

Inscribed in plate: (lower right corner) “Lalanne sc./ d'ap Constable”.

State iv (of iv) as published in “The Portfolio” (1873).

Villet 95 (Jeffrey M. Villet 2010, “The Complete Prints of Maxime Lalanne”, Washington, D.C., art@mone fine prints, n. p., cat. no. 95 IV).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “View of Weymouth Bay, Dorset, beneath a stormy sky, with at centre towards foreground two figures at edge of water towards foreground; after Constable (Reynolds 19.9)” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1878-0511-90).

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed (near faultless) impression trimmed close to the image borderline and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins. Note that there are a few minor marks on the washi paper support.

I am selling this marvellous etching featuring light piercing through in an otherwise solid blanket of storm clouds passing over Weymouth Bay on the south coast of England, in Dorset, for AU $192 in total (currently US $118.99/ EUR 115.60/ GBP 96.80 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 $192) as this is my currency.

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

Maxime Lalanne, “Rouen”, 1884

Maxime Lalanne (aka François Antoine Maxime Lalanne) (1827–1886)

“Rouen” (title as inscribed in plate) (aka “Rouen from the Country” [Hamerton’s title]; “Vue de la Ville de Rouen”; Vue Prise de Rouen”; “Vue de Rouen” [Salon 1885 title]), 1884, published in London by Seeley & Co. (fl.1839–early 1900s) as an illustration facing page 296 to Philip Gilbert Hamerton’s (1834–1894) “Landscape” with the following description (extract): [The portrayed view of Rouen is not an] illustration of localities, this etching is interesting as an example of a very beautiful combination, that of trees with distant towers [Rouen Cathedral on the left; St. Maclou in the middle; St. Ouen on the right]; and it may be doubted whether there is any other place in the world, except, possibly, Oxford, where this combination can be seen so perfectly as at Rouen” (facing page 296).

Etching on wove paper (watermarked “W King” [Alton Mill]) with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 21 x 31.5 cm; (plate) 15.7 x 23.5 cm; (image borderline) 12.8 x 20.9 cm.

Inscribed in plate: (lower right corner) “Rouen. 1884/ Maxime Lalanne”

State ii (of ii) final published state with cleaned margins.

Villet 151 (Jeffrey M. Villet 2010, “The Complete Prints of Maxime Lalanne”, Washington, D.C., art@mone fine prints, n.p., cat. no. 151).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression with full margins as published in a near pristine (museum quality) condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, foxing or stains.

I am selling this superb etching executed by “the first artist who ever received knighthood for his qualities as an etcher” (Hamerton, “Etching and Etchers”, p. 177)—note that the knighthood (Order of Christ) was conferred on him by the King of Portugal who was also an etcher—for AU$187 in total (currently US$120.93/EUR113.59/GBP97.13 at the time of this listing) including Express (EMS) 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 very beautiful etching completed only two years before this nineteenth century master of printmaking died, 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