Albert Ardail, “Orpheline”, 1886, after Jean-Jacques Henner

Albert Ardail (aka Albert-Achille Ardail) (1865–1914)

“Orpheline” (Orphan), 1886, after Jean-Jacques Henner’s painting (1829–1905), “Jeune fille (Orpheline)” (Young Girl [Orphan]), published in Paris by Ludovic Baschet (1834–1919) and Alfred Salmon (fl.1863–94) in the first album of prints for the Société des Aquafortistes. The publication was edited by Emile Bergerat (1845–1923) and titled “Société des Aquafortistes Français. Salon de 1886.” The auctioneers, Boulogne Encheres, offer a view of this publication: http://www.boulogne-encheres.com/lot/122727/18547663-societe-des-aquafortistes-francais-salon-de-1886-paris.

Etching on buff-coloured wove paper with a remarque portrait of Jean-Jacques Henner at lower left and wide margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 31.9 x 22.5cm; (plate) 19 x 14.5cm; (image borderline) 12.2 x 9.8cm.

Inscribed in plate: (within the image borderline at lower right) “[as shown in Henner’s painting] JJ HENNER”; (below the image borderline at right) “[artist’s signature] Alb Ardail sc. 1886”.

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed (near faultless) impression. The sheet is in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains.

I am selling this very beautiful etching for the total cost of AU$217 (approximately US$142.33, EUR 121.41, or GBP 105.38), this includes worldwide express postage and handling. Please note that any applicable import duties or taxes imposed by the destination country are the responsibility of the buyer.

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

Note that currently mail services from Australia to the USA have been suspended. Consequently, at the moment I am unable to accept purchases needing shipping to the United States.

Fernand Desmoulins, “Sperata”, c.1890, after Jean Jacques Henner

Fernand Desmoulins (1858–1914)

“Sperata”, c.1890, drypoint with aquatint after Jean Jacques Henner (1829–1905), a proof before lettering for publication with the details for the printer, L Eudes (fl.1876–1888), in the supplement to the Paris-Noël Journal in Paris (see a lettered state impression offered by Pamono: https://www.pamono.com.au/fernand-desmoulin-sperata-etching-late-19th-century).

Drypoint with aquatint printed in umber coloured ink on buff-coloured wove paper, titled and signed in the plate before lettering with publication details.

Size: (sheet) 38.2 x 30.5cm; (platemark [soft]) 32 X 24.7cm; (image borderline) 27.1 x 21.5cm.

Inscribed in plate: (above the image borderline at centre) “HENNER”; (within the image borderline at upper left) “HENN[E]R”; (within the image borderline at lower right) “f Desmoulin”: (below the image borderline at centre) “SPERATA”.

IFF 27 (Jean Adhémar & Jacques Lethève 1953, “Inventaire du Fonds Français après 1800: Daumont-Dorange”, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Département des Estampes, vol. 6, p. 413, cat. no. 27 [see https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k54891736/f425]). Note that the IFF catalogue entry for this print has references to additional artists involved in this print that may need to be explored (viz. Maurice Dussolier and L Abbema).

See also the British Museum’s description of this print with a remarque before lettering; see BM inv. no. 1931,1008.12.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression. Beyond minor chips and bumps to the edges, the sheet is in an excellent condition with no significant stains.

I am selling this very beautiful and sensitively executed portrait of a young woman, for AU$212 (currently US$137.23/ EUR130.14/ GBP108.62 at the time of posting this print) 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$212) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this exceptional drypoint where the modelling of the portrayed young woman is so finely handled that the portrait seems almost to be in soft focus, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Charles Jean Louis Courtry’s etching of Jean Jacques Henner’s painting, “La Fontaine"

Charles Jean Louis Courtry (1846–97)

“La Fontaine”, 1880, after a painting of the same name by Jean Jacques Henner (1829–1905), printed by Alfred Salmon (1863–94; fl.), published in “L'Art”, XXI, 1880, page 180.

Etching with drypoint on cream laid paper with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 42.8 x 29.8 cm; (plate) 27.7 x 21.6 cm; (image borderline) 24.2 x 19.1 cm.

Lettered above the image borderline (centre): “SALON DE 1880.”

Lettered below the image borderline with production detail and title: (left) “J.J. Henner pinx. / L'Art”; (centre) “LA FONTAINE”; (right) “Ch. Courtry sc. / Imp. A. Salmon.”

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3356685&partId=1&searchText=la+Fontaine+henner&page=1

IFF 103 (Inventaire du Fonds Français: Bibliothèque Nationale, Département des Estampes, Paris, 1930); Beraldi 1885-92 12 (Beraldi, Henri, “Les Graveurs du dix-neuvième siècle”, 12 vols plus supplement, Paris, 1885)

Condition: a richly inked and sensitively printed impression in near pristine condition (i.e. there are no tears, stains, abrasions, holes or foxing).

I am selling this richly worked etching by Coutry for a total cost of  [deleted] including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

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

A hallmark of great artists is the way that they represent areas of strong shadow in their artworks. By this I mean that uncommitted artists working in a perfunctory manner are likely to spread a relatively even layer of tone to portray shadows, whereas more insightful artists add “life” to their representation of shadows with a complex layering of strokes.

This attribute of a layered complexity of strokes rendering shadows is what makes this very beautiful etching of a nude so engaging to examine. From my standpoint, I find myself drawn to looking into the darks to see what I’m missing at a casual glance. Going further, what I really love about this print is that my close examination is rewarded: there are subtle shifts in the direction of groups of aligned strokes that create subtle rhythms breathing life into the shadows.

Pennequin’s etching after Henner

Edmond-Jules Pennequin after a painting by Jean Jacques Henner (1829–1905)

“Portrait of a Young Girl”, late 19^th century

Etching and engraving on chine-collé washi paper on heavy wove paper, signed by the artist with a hand-written dedication to his cousin.

Size: (sheet) 51.3 x 36.9 cm; (plate) 31.7 x 24.9 cm; (image) 26.7 x 21.3 cm

Inscribed in the plate below the image borderline: (left) "Peint par Henner"; (right) Grave par Pennequin"

Condition: richly inked impression in marvellous condition, hand-signed by the artist in pencil.

I am selling this beautifully executed etching for a total cost of AU$156 (currently US$118.48/EUR105.75/GBP88.75 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this hauntingly strong etching, hand-signed by the artist, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

There is so much theatre in this print in terms of a brooding seductress staring at the viewer with fully dilated pupils, dramatic lighting and latent energy in the line-work.

Surprisingly, the artist of this strong etching, Edmond-Jules Pennequin, is an almost forgotten nineteenth-century printmaker. I am astounded that an artist of his calibre of skill could fail to be documented in standard compendiums of printmakers (e.g. Arthur M Hind's “A History of Engraving & Etching”) or in major print collections (e.g. The British Museum). If there is anyone familiar with this artist and could share some biographical details (e.g. dates of his birth and death) I would be thankful.

What I love about this print is the overtones of the Pre-Raphaelites captured in treatment of the young woman with her haunting eyes and the rich texture of her simple dress. Regarding the treatment of the fabric, the line-work in this area shows an amazing high level of technical skill and discipline in representing the complexity of the woven material and its contouring to the curves of the woman’s body.