Arthur Mayeur’s colour aquatint with stipple engraving, “The Wicar Head”, c.1900

Arthur Mayeur (1871–1934)—French printmaker, sculptor and medallist

“The Wicar Head,” (aka “Buste de Femme sur Piédouche”; “Tête de Wicar”), c.1900, after an 17^th century Italian bust of a young woman executed in polychromed wax, terracotta and blown glass by an unidentified artist (see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:T%C3%AAte_de_cire,_dite_T%C3%AAte_de_Wicar,_XVIIe_s,_cire_peinte,_terre_cuite_peinte_et_verre_souffl%C3%A9,_Anonyme,_Italie_(2).jpg). I suspect that copies of this head were used in the Art Academies of the time as I have an early charcoal study of the same subject from a French Academy. Interestingly, Ferdinand Gaillard (1834–1887) also made an exquisite engraving of the same head, “Tête de Cire” (Wax Head), which I will feature in a future post (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1981-U-436).

Colour aquatint with stipple engraving, printed in sanguine and blue ink on cream chine collé on heavy wove paper, signed in the plate by the artist.

Size: (sheet) 39 x 29.3 cm; (plate) 29.l x 21.5 cm; (chine collé) 28.2 x 20 cm.

Signed in the plate at lower right: “A. Mayeur[f?]”.

The Musenor website offers a brief description of this print in the collection of the Beaux-Arts Museum of Arras at the former Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Vaast, France (Le Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Arras): https://webmuseo.com/ws/musenor/app/collection/record/30982.  

Condition: Apart from a white mark on the figure’s lips, the impression is strong and well-printed. Beyond minor handling marks, the sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, or significant stains.

I am selling this very beautiful study of a sculpted bust of a young woman displayed on a pedestal base and finished with the unusual addition of blue accents, for AU$276 (currently US$188.58/EUR170.72/GBP148.11 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 visually striking portrayal of a sculpted head executed by a fine sculptor-printmaker, 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

Jean François Janinet’s colour aquatint, “La Folie”, 1777, after Fragonard

Jean François Janinet (1752–1814)

“La Folie” (aka “The Madness”; “Joy”; “Debauchery”), 1777, colour aquatint—an innovative process perfected by Janinet—after Jean Honoré Fragonard (1732–1806), published in Paris by Le Père & Avaulez (fl. 1772–1779)—initially a partnership between Charles Le Père and Pierre Michel Avaulez (1772–1777), but at the time of the printing of this colour aquatint, the printery was passed on to Avaulez's widow (1777–1779). The Rijksmuseum advises that this print was created as an illustration for the “Journal de Paris” magazine, November 24, 1777 (see inv.no. RP-P-1984-159).

Colour aquatint and etching with roulette work on heavy laid paper trimmed around (or slightly within) the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 28.2 x 20.1 cm; (oval image borderline) 21.2 x 18.1 cm.

State ii (of ii) Lifetime impression (based on the quality of the aquatint showing no sign of wear to the printing plate).

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Fragonard pinx”; (centre) “LA FOLIE/ A Paris chez l’Auteur place Maubert Maison neuve au 1^er. et chez la veuve Avaulez rue S^t. Jacques à la Ville de Rouen.”; (right) F. Janinet Sculp.”

IFF 34 (“Inventaire du fonds français : graveurs du dix-huitième siècle”, vol. 12, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, p. 22, cat. no. 34.II).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “A putto jumping in the air, in his left hand a jester's stick, with his right hand he scatters bubbles. Four pairs of pigeons around him” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.41449).

See also the descriptions of this print offered by the British Museum, the National Gallery of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1925-1117-2; https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.2996.html; https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/369413.

Condition: a strong and well-printed lifetime impression with glowing colour, trimmed following the platemark (or slightly within) in good condition. Beyond a dot stain at lower left and pale age toning (darkening) along the edges, the sheet is in a very good condition for its age with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this very rare colour aquatint exemplifying the remarkable printing technique developed by Jean François Janinet involving the superimposition of multiple printing plates of different colours—see the variation of colour in the impression of this same print offered by Proantic (https://www.proantic.com/en/display.php?id=130867)—for AU$438 (currently US$307.52/EUR284.02/GBP248.64 at the time of posting 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 amazing masterwork of early colour printing, 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