Nicolas Tardieu’s etching with engraving, “Triumph of Constantine over Maxentius”, 1715, after Charles Le Brun

Nicolas Tardieu (aka Nicolas Henri Tardieu) (1674–1749)

“Triumph of Constantine over Maxentius” (aka “Triomf van Constantijn over Maxentius”; “Constantini triumphus devicto Maxentius”; “Triomphe de Constantin apres sa victoire sur Maxence”), 1715, after the design by Charles Le Brun (aka Charles Lebrun) (1619–1690), from the series, “Werken van Charles le Brun” (The work of Charles Le Brun), published in Paris by Nicolas Tardieu with royal privilege.

Etching with engraving on laid paper trimmed around the image borderline and the lines of text, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 28.5 x 59.6 cm; (image borderline) 25.2 x 59.6 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Car, le Brun invenit”, (centre in two columns of text) “CONSTANTINI TRIUMPHUS DEVICTO MAXENTIUS … le monde le predicateur.”; (right) “N. Tardieu ex.”

The Hood Museum of Art offers a description of this print that includes the full lines of lettering: https://hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu/objects/2014.73.91#. Note also that the Hood Museum attributes this print to Gerard Audran (1640– 1703) with Nicolas Tardieu as the printer.

See the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.417896.

LeBlanc 42-53 (Charles Le Blanc, “Manuel de l'amateur d'estampes: contenant le dictionnaire des graveurs de toutes les nations”, vol. 4, Paris, p. 5, cat. nos. 43–53 [“Histoire de Constantin”]).

Condition: a strong impression, trimmed around the image borderline and text and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet has a flattened centrefold and there are numerous restorations in the text.

I am selling this magnificent and very large etching (with engraving) executed with amazing skill to capture the complexity of this Baroque vision of a Roman triumphal procession, for AU$298 in total (currently US$199.18/EUR180.22/GBP158.65 at the time of this listing) including 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 grand manner print, 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 

Nicolas Tardieu’s etching with engraving, “Defeat and Death of Maxentius”, c1717, after Rubens

Nicolas Tardieu (aka Nicolas Henri Tardieu) (1674–1749)

“Defeat and Death of Maxentius” (aka “Slag bij de Milvische Brug”; “Sconfitta e Morte di Massenzio”; “MaxentII Clades et Interitus”; “Defaitte et Mort du Tyran Maxence”; “Battaglia di Ponte Milvio”; “Battle of the Milvian Bridge”), c1717 (1684–1749 [Rijksmuseum dates]) (note that this is a late impression stamped by the Chalcographie du Louvre), after the painting, “Battle of Milvian Bridge” (see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_of_Milvian_Bridge.jpg) by Peter Paul Rubens (aka Petrus Paulus Rubenius) (1577–1640) that was in the collection of the “Duc d’Orleans” (aka Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans), as inscribed in the plate, but is now in the Wallace Collection (London), published in Paris by Nicolas Tardieu with royal privilege.

Etching with engraving on heavy buff-coloured wove paper blind-stamped in the lower margin by the Chalcographie du Louvre.

Size: (sheet) 44.2 x 61.2 cm; (plate) 35.8 x 53 cm; (image borderline) 31 x 51.2 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline:

(left) “PP. Rubens pinx.”

(left of centre) “MAXENTII CLADES ET INTERITUS/ CONSTANTINUS Maxentium lœsâ acie ante se fugientem insequitur, qui dum per pontem à tergo ejus/ mediâ in pugnâ seissum Urbem repetere cogitat, lapsȗ equi deturbatus et fugientium multitudine pressus/ in profundum demergritur, et thoracis pondere ipso quo cecidit loco infixus limo et absorptus sepelitur./ Ce tableau est tiré du Cabinet de Monsei^r: le Duc d'Orleans/ A Paris chez N. Tardieu graveur du Roy rue S^t. Jacques pres celle des Noyers. A.P.D.R.”

(right of centre) “DEFAITTE ET MORT DU TYRAN MAXENCE/ CONSTANTIN S'etant mis à la poursuitte de Maxence et de son armée qui fuyoit devant luy, le Tyran aux/ approche du pont par le quel il pensoit à regagner la ville trouve qu'on l'avoit rompu derriere luy pendant/ la bataille; et tout à la fois entraisné par la chute de son cheval et poussé par la multitude de ceux qui/ fuyoient apreś luy tombe dans la riviere, ou son corps chargé d'une pesante cuirasse s'enfonce dans la/ vase, et reste au lieu même ou il etoit tombé enseveli dans les abysmes.”

([Transl.] DEFEAT AND DEATH OF THE TYRANT MAXENCE

CONSTANTINE Having set out in pursuit of Maxentius and his army which was fleeing before him, the Tyrant approaching the bridge by which he thought of regaining the city finds that it had been broken behind him during the battle; and at the same time carried away by the fall of his horse and pushed by the multitude of those who fled after him, he falls into the river, where his body, laden with a heavy cuirass, sinks into the mud, and remains in the place. even where he had fallen buried in the abyss.)

(right) “N. Tardieu Sculp”.

See the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.182956.

Condition: a strong and well-printed (near faultless) impression with full margins as published by the Chalcographie du Louvre. The sheet is in an excellent (near pristine) condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains (but there are minor handling marks) or foxing.

I am selling this magnificent and very large etching (with engraving) executed with amazing skill to capture the complexity of this Baroque vision of a Roman battle on the Milvian Bridge, for AU$298 in total (currently US$199.18/EUR180.22/GBP158.65 at the time of this listing) including 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 grand manner print, 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

Nicolas Tardieu’s etching with engraving, “Battle of the Milvian Bridge”, 1715, after Charles Le Brun and Rubens

Nicolas Tardieu (aka Nicolas Henri Tardieu) (1674–1749)

“Battle of the Milvian Bridge” (aka “Slag bij de Milvische brug”; “Bataille de Constantin contre le Tyran Maxence”; “Constantini pugna contra Maxentium Tyrannum”), 1715, after the design by Charles Le Brun (aka Charles Lebrun) (1619–1690) and after Peter Paul Rubens’ (aka Petrus Paulus Rubenius) (1577–1640) painting (with significant differences), from the series, “Werken van Charles le Brun” (The work of Charles le Brun), published by Nicolas Tardieu in Paris with royal privilege.

Note that Girard Audran (aka Gérard Audran) (1640–1703) also made an etching with engraving of the same composition in 1666. The British Museum offers the following description of the portrayed scene: “The Victory of Constantine over Maxentius (28 October AD 312); the bridge is on the right with Constantine in profile and raised spear riding onto it, amid a vast melee of soldiers and horses” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1842-0806-167-a-c).

Etching with engraving on laid paper trimmed around the image borderline and the lines of text, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 28.7 x 59.5 cm; (image borderline) 25 x 59.5 cm.

Lettered below the image borderline: (left) “Carol. le Brun inv.”; (left of centre) “CONSTANTINI PUGNA CONTRA MAXENTIUM TYRANNU/ V. Kal. Novembris anno Christi 312,/ CONSTANTIN us quum de extinguenda […] suis exitum invenit./ A Paris chez N. Tardieu rue S^t. Jacques au Mecenas. Avec Privilege du Roy.”; (right of centre) “BATAILLE DE CONSTANTIN CONTRE LE TYRAN MAXENCE/ Donnée le 28 Octobre l’an 312 de Jesus Christ./ CONSTANTIN, confirmé par la vision […] de ses crimes.”; (right) “N. Tardieu excudit 1715.”

LeBlanc 42–53 (Charles Le Blanc 1854-1888, “Manuel de l'amateur d'estampes: contenant le dictionnaire des graveurs de toutes les nations”, vol. 4, Paris, p. 5, cat. nos. 42–53).

See also the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.417895.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression trimmed along the image borderline and retaining the lines of text below. There are spots of abrasion (especially in the lower margin) that have been restored. The sheet has been laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper providing wide margins.

I am selling this magnificent and very large etching (with engraving) executed with amazing skill to capture the complexity of the scene—note that the portrayed battle was more of a massacre than a combat and the grimness is summed up by the kneeling figure in the centre-foreground who is not only beheading a fallen horseman but is also holding in his mouth the severed head of a previous victim (following the Roman principle that soldiers were rewarded by the number of adversaries’ heads of that they collected)—for AU$374 in total (currently US$249.98/EUR226.18/GBP199.11 at the time of this listing) including 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 grand manner print, 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