(Attributed to) Johann
Elias Haid (1736–1809)—attribution
by the Rijksmuseum (see http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.120687)
and Ch. LeBlanc (cat. no. 108)
“Voltaire”—an influential French writer, wit
and philosopher (aka François Marie Arouet) (1694-1778), 1783, mezzotint
published in Augsburg by Johann Jakob Haid (1704-1767), after the etching
in the reverse direction, “M. F. A. de Voltaire Mort à Paris...”, by Jacques
Barbié (fl.c1755–1779) (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0822-7757),
after the sculpture of Voltaire by Jean Antoine Houdon (1741–1828) and
after the battle scene drawing, “Il monte: il a déjà de ses mains
triomphantes..”, by Gravelot (aka Hubert François Bourguignon Gravelot)
(1699–1773) (see https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.58344.html).
Note that Augustin de Saint-Aubin (1736–1807) made a similar print sixteen
years after this mezzotint, but in the reverse direction and without the battle
scene (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1900-1231-199).
Mezzotint with etching printed in a brown-black
ink on laid paper trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline with
loss of publication details and backed with a support sheet.
Size: (sheet) 21.5 x 13.4 cm.
Inscribed in plate below the battle scene: “Il
monte, il a déj[à] de ses mains triomphantes,/ Arboré de ses lys les Enseignes
Flotantes. Henriade Ch. VI” ([transl.] He ascends, he already has with his
triumphant hands, / Emblazoned with his lilies the Floating Ensigns. Henriade
Ch. VI).
LeBlanc 108 (Ch. Leblanc 1888, “Manuel de
l'amateur d'estampes, contenant un dictionnaire des graveurs de toutes les
nations: ouvrage destiné à faire suite au Manuel du libraire par J.Ch. Brunet”,
vol. 2, Paris, p. 334, cat. no. 108).
The British Museum offers the following
description of this print: “Portrait of Voltaire, head and shoulder in profile
to left, nude, and wearing no wig, in oval frame surmounting a scene from ‘L'Henriade’
showing Henri IV victorious at the siege of Paris (canto VI). 1783/ Mezzotint”
(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1901-1022-939).
Condition: a strong impression trimmed around
the image borderline with no tears, holes or folds or significant stains and
laid upon a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper
providing wide margins.
I am selling this visually eye-catching portrait
of the great writer of the French Enlightenment accompanied by an illustration to
a few lines from his epic poem “La Henriade” (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henriade),
for AU$257 in total (currently/approximately US$174.40/EUR159.86/GBP134.26 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$257)
as this is my currency.
If you are interested in purchasing this very fine and beautiful mezzotint, 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
