Nicolas
Perelle (aka
Nicolaus Perrelle [as inscribed on plate]) (1631–1695)
“Helios and Phaeton with Saturn and the Four Seasons”,
c1670 (1646–1695), reverse composition after the painting of the same title (c1635)
in the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin (inv. no. 478; see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nicolas_Poussin_-_Helios_and_Phaeton_with_Saturn_and_the_Four_Seasons.jpg),
by Nicolas Poussin (1594–1665), published in
Paris by Mariette (fl.17th–18thC).
Etching on laid paper trimmed with a small
margin around the platemark and backed with a support sheet.
Size: (sheet) 36.2 x 45.6 cm; (plate) 35 x
44.2 cm; (image borderline) 33.2 x 43.1 cm.
Lettered below the image borderline: (left)
“Poussin pinxit”; (centre) “Phaeton pour s'eclaircir du doute ou il estoit d'estre
Veritablement le fils du Soleil, comme sa Mere l'en auoit asseuré, luy demande
en se jettant/ a’ses pieds le gouuernement du grand Chariot qui esclaire le
Monde, pour preuue de son affection Paternelle, et quil le reconnoist pour son
fils. Ovid. l. 2. fable 1. ([Google transl.] “Phaeton to be cleared of the
doubt or he was truly the son of the sun, as his mother had assured him, asks
him by throwing himself/ at his feet the government of the great chariot which
enshrines the world, for proof of his paternal affection, and that he
recognizes him for his son. Ovid. l. 2.fable 1.”); (right) “Nicolaus Perrelle
fecit Mariette ex”.
State ii (of ii) with the addition of Mariette
as the publisher.
Andresen 388 ii (Andreas Andresen 1863, “Nicolas
Poussin: Verzeichniss der nach seinen Gemälden gefertigten gleichzeitigen und
späteren Kupferstiche …”, Leipzig, R. Weigel, p. 99, cat. no. 388; see https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_yX5CAQAAIAAJ/page/n105/mode/2up?); Wildenstein
136 ii (Georges Wildenstein 1957, “Les Graveurs de Poussin au XVII Siecle”,
Paris, Les Beaux-Arts, cat. no. 136 ii).
The British Museum offers the following
description of this print:
“Phaethon, after Poussin: Phaethon begging
Apollo, who sits on the wheel of the Zodiac, to let him drive the sun's
chariot; in the foreground, at left, a sleeping man (Autumn) crowned with ivy;
at right, a seated old man (Winter) warming up at a brazier; woman holding
flowers (Spring) standing behind Apollo; and woman seated on ears of wheat
(Summer) beside Phaethon” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1874-0808-1740
& https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_U-8-26).
Condition: a richly inked and well-printed
impression with a small margin around the platemark and laid onto a support
sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There is minor age-toning
and a few handling marks in the margins, otherwise the sheet is in a very good
condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.
I am selling this large allegorical etching about not taking advice showing Phaeton’s ill-fated plead to Apollo to allow Phaeton to go for a "drive" in his father’s sun chariot—sadly, Phaeton was such a bad driver that Zeus has to blow up the chariot with a thunderbolt to stop the head-strong Phaeton—for a total cost of AU$330 (currently US$256.21/EUR214.24/GBP184.03 at the time of 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.
If you are interested in purchasing this classical
smorgasbord of mythological figures, 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
