Charles Cousen, “Bacchus and Ariadne”, c. 1860, after JMW Turner (2nd copy)

Charles Cousen (c. 1819–1889)
“Bacchus and Ariadne,” c. 1860 (1859–1861)

Technical Details & Condition:
Engraving and etching with hand-colouring on heavy wove paper, with full margins as issued. This etching is based on Joseph Mallord William Turner’s (1775–1851) famous painting (1840), now in the collection of the Tate Gallery, London; see https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-bacchus-and-ariadne-n00525. The plate was published in 1879 in New York by D. Appleton & Company as an illustration to “The Turner Gallery”—a series of one hundred and twenty engravings from the works of the late J.M.W. Turner, R.A.”, vol. 1; see https://archive.org/details/gri_33125008236784/page/n83/mode/2up.

This is a strong, well-printed, nearly faultless impression, with subtle hand-colouring remaining rich and unfaded. Aside from a minor trace of binding residue on the left edge, the sheet is in excellent condition—free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, or significant stains.

Dimensions:
• Sheet: 36.5 x 43 cm
• Image borderline diameter: 21.6 cm

Lettering on Plate (below the image border):
• Left: “J. M. W. TURNER, R. A, PINX^T.”
• Centre: “BACCHUS AND ARIADNE. / D. APPLETON & C^O. NEW YORK.”
• Right: “C. COUSEN, SCULP^T.”

References:
• British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1872-1012-2400
• Rawlinson 741 (W.G. Rawlinson, “The Engraved Work of J. M. W. Turner, R.A.”, vol. 1, 1913, London, Macmillan, p. cviii, cat. no. 741 and vol. 2, p. 359)

Price & Shipping:
AU$234 (approximately US$166.62 / €139.88 / £121.99), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in acquiring this exquisite hand-coloured engraving after Turner, depicting Ariadne averting her gaze from Bacchus as he leaps from his chariot, please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless purchase.

John Cousen, “A Fire at Sea”, 1859, after JMW Turner

John Cousen (1804–1880)

“A Fire at Sea”, 1859, after a painting by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851) (see “A Disaster at Sea”, c.1835, held by the Tate Gallery: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-a-disaster-at-sea-n00558), published in the art periodical, “Art Journal”, 1861.

Engraving and etching on heavy wove paper trimmed with a small margin around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 23.3 x 28.7 cm; (image borderline) 18.9 x 24.9 cm

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “J. M. W. TURNER, R. A. PINX^T.”; (centre) “A FIRE AT SEA./ FROM THE PICTURE IN THE NATIONAL GALLERY.”; (right) “J. COUSEN, SCULP^T.”

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Moonlit view of sea, with many figures floating on wreckage in the right foreground, women holding their children, men holding sticks, crescent moon in the left sky; after JMW Turner (Butlin & Joll 460); later edition, illustration to the Art Journal of 1861. 1859-61/ Engraving and etching” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1872-1012-6099).

Condition: a strong and well-printed (near faultless) impression trimmed with a small margin around the image borderline and laid onto a support of millennium quality washi paper providing wide margins.

I am selling this simply magnificent engraving for AU$224 (equivalent to approximately US$202.80, EUR 134.01, or GBP 110.63 at the time of listing) and includes Express Mail Service (EMS) postage and handling to any worldwide destination. Please note that any import duties or taxes levied by the destination country are the responsibility of the buyer and are not included in the purchase price. Payment is requested in Australian dollars (AU$224).

If you are interested in purchasing this 19^th century masterwork of engraving, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Frank Short, “Lucerne”, 1896, after Turner

Frank Short (aka Sir Frank Short) (1857–1945)

“Lucerne” (aka “Moonlight on the River” [BM title]), 1896, mezzotint, pencil-signed by the artist, after an unpublished drawing in the collection of the National Gallery (Henry Vaughan Bequest) by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851) for the “Liber Studiorum”.

Mezzotint printed in sanguine coloured ink, pencil-signed, on laid paper with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 28.9 x 42.7cm; (plate) 21.7 x 29cm; (image borderline) 21.2 x 28.3cm

Inscribed with the artist’s monogram within the image borderline: (lower right corner). “S” (on shield).

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Drawn by J.M.W.Turner R.A.”; (centre) “LUCERNE From an Unpublished Drawing for the Liber Studiorum in possession of Henry Vaughan Esq”; (right) “Engraved by F. Short 1896.”

Published lettered state with the artist’s monogram.

Hardie 42 (Martin Hardie 1938, “The Liber Studiorium Mezzotints of Sir Frank Short after J.M.W. Turner, R.A.”, London, The Print Collector’s Club, pp. 73-4, cat. no. 42).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “The sky with moon above dominates image; to left and right on the banks of a river, a town, connected by a bridge; in the foreground, a crowd and boats, right of centre. 1896/ Mezzotint” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1901-0424-13 [BM inv. no. 1901,0424.13]).

Condition: a well-printed impression in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains—note, however, that the low edge is darkened and there are pencil notations along this lower edge.

I am selling this pencil-signed, moonlit scene executed in glowing mezzotint showing the famous wooden footbridge—the Kapellbrücke or Chapel Bridge—spanning the river Reuss in Lucerne (Switzerland), for AU$397 (currently US$257.52/ EUR244.13/ GBP203.38 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$397) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this very rare mezzotint with the interesting note in Hardie’s catalogue raisonné (1938) by W.G. Rawlinson that Turner’s drawing that this print reproduces is “very slight in its execution” and may be one of the last drawings “made by Turner for the Liber [Studiorium]” (see p. 73), please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Alfred Louis Brunet-Debaines, “St. Denis”, 1885, after Turner

Alfred Louis Brunet-Debaines (1845–1939)

“St. Denis”, 1885, mezzotint after Joseph Mallord William Turner’s (1775–1851) watercolour (c.1833), in the collection of the Tate Gallery, London, showing the suburb of Saint-Denis in Paris with the Basilica of Saint-Denis seen across the River Seine on a moonlit night, published in London by Seeley & Co. (fl.1839–early 1900s) in 1885.

Regarding the painting, the Tate Gallery offers the following insights: “Although St Denis is ostensibly the subject of this image, the ancient cathedral is relegated to the distance, and even the activities of the people in the foreground are of secondary interest to the enveloping coolness of the moonlight. In much the same way that many of Turner's later paintings present forms outlined by the strong sunlight at the centre of his image, he is here exploiting the subdued silhouettes created by a full moon” (https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-st-denis-d24686).

Note that Samuel Fisher (1806-1851) also executed an etching with engraving after Turner’s watercolour (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1849-0512-715), published in “Wanderings by the Seine” in 1835. Comparison of Fisher and Brunet-Debaines’ prints with Turner’s watercolour reveals very different readings of the scene. Arguably Fisher’s etching (with engraving) is sharper in focus giving the scene the clarity of an icy night under the full moon, whereas Brunet-Debaines’ mezzotint presents the same scene with a softness of mist and a hint of ethereal mystery—of course, these ways of reading the prints is a personal response only.

Mezzotint printed in a warm black ink on wove paper (with watermark) with full margins.

Size: (sheet) 20.5 x 32cm; (plate) 15.8 x 20.8cm; (image borderline) 13 x 18cm.

Condition: a strong impression with generously wide margins. Beyond a few spots of retouching, the sheet is otherwise in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, stains or signs of handling.

I am selling this richly glowing mezzotint showing a full moon illuminating the distant Basilica of Saint-Denis in Paris after Turner’s watercolour of the same scene, for the total cost of AU$187 (currently US$121.52/ EUR116.04/ GBP96.62 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. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$187) as this is my currency.

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