Jean Cousin, “Brazilian Diet”, 1558

Attributed to, or from the circle of, Jean Cousin the younger (c1525–c1595), and/or Jean Goujon (c1510–c1565/68), and/or Germain Pilon (1535–1590) (see attribution offered by Christie’s Auctions: https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5909342).

“Brazilian Diet”, 1558, published in Paris in 1558 by Maurice de La Porte (II) (1490–1558) as an illustration on page 57 to André Thevet’s (1516–1590) “Les Singularitez de la France antarctique, autrement nommée Amérique: & de plusieurs terres & isles decouvertes de nostre temps” (The Singularities of Antarctic France, otherwise called America: & of several lands & islands discovered in our time).

Archive.org offers an online view of this print and its context in the publication: https://archive.org/details/DELTA54095RES/page/n139/mode/2up.

To give an idea of the flavour of the text accompanying this extraordinarily fine woodcut, the following extract is from text above the print when it was published (my apologies if my reading and translation of the French text contains errors): “And even in our early Europe, and before the earth was cultivated and inhabited, men lived even more austerely without flesh or fish, not having the industry to eat it: and yet were robust, and lived long, without being as effeminate as those of our time: who are all the more delicately treated, and the more subject to illnesses and debilities” (p. 44).

Woodcut on laid paper trimmed around the image borderline with letterpress text verso, backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 8.7 x 11.2 cm.

Condition: a strong lifetime impression (based on the quality of line showing no sign of wear to the printing plate) trimmed with a thread margin. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains, laid upon a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins.

I am selling this exceptionally rare and historically important Renaissance period woodcut showing for the first time in Europe a scene of Brazilians eating with the advice extracted from the published text (apologies if there are errors in my reading of the French text), “The more delicately fed men are, the less robust they are” (p. 44), for AU$247 in total (currently US$161.81/EUR149.03/GBP125.70 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$247) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in this extraordinary woodcut executed in Michelangelo’s lifetime showing one of earliest depictions of indigenous native Americans, 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

René Godard, “Eve Before Sin”, 1919

René Godard (aka René-Jules Godard) (1886–1955)

“Eve Before Sin”, 1919, this print was awarded first prize in the Prix de Rome de Gravure (the Rome Prize for Engraving), a prize that I understand was shared with Albert Decaris (1901–1988) who executed a work with the same title (see https://www.grandemasse.org/breves_historiques/grands-prix-de-rome-de-gravure-en-taille-douce/).  

For an interesting account about the Prix de Rome de Gravure, see, Jérôme Delaplanche’s (2020) article, “French Printmakers in Rome: The Case of the Villa Medici - French Academy” (published in Sarah Linford & Devin Kovach [Eds.] 2020, “Force Fields: Rome and Contemporary Printmaking”, Philadelphia, Temple University Press), in particular, see page 44, as Delaplanche explains the deliberations behind the prize at that time.

Engraving on tissue-thin (China) paper laid upon a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper, hand-signed in pencil by the artist with an inscribed dedication to Monsieur Padovani—possibly (and I may be far from correct) Aurelio Padovani (1889–1926) who was an early leader of the Italian Fascist movement and may have had an invested interest in the Academic leaning of the Rome Prize. I am also mindful that the artist may also have a leaning to the Fascist movement as he executed an engraved portrait of Benito Mussolini in 1925. Note also, from my understanding, proofs of the prints judged in the Roman Prize are presented to the Academy of Arts, consequently, the dedication may have been connected to this requirement.

Size: (sheet) 47.5 x 32.5 cm: (image borderline) 39.8 x 26.3 cm.

Inscribed in pencil below the image borderline: (right) “[à] monsieur Padovani./ [bien?] cordialement/ R. Godard.” (to Mr Padovani, best regards, R. Godard.)

Condition: a strong impression in a near pristine condition with no tears, folds or significant stains.

I am selling this large pencil-signed etching of the utmost rarity that must have been of great interest at the time when it was shown in the 1919  Prix de Rome de Gravure as it was the first time that a nude female was introduced into a competition that had been solely focused on Academic male nudes (see Delaplanche [2020], p. 44), for AU$313 in total (currently US$205.04/EUR188.85/GBP159.29 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$313) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in this spectacular engraving—to my eyes a masterwork of early twentieth century engraving executed shortly after WWI—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Lucien Marcelin Gautier, “Le Palais de Longchamps à Marseille”, 1884

Lucien Marcelin Gautier (1850–1925)

“Le Palais de Longchamps à Marseille”, 1884, from the series of fifteen etchings, “Vues de Marseille” (Beraldi 17–31), printed by François Liénard (fl.c1860s–1880s) and published in Paris in the art periodical, “L’Art”.

Etching with pale plate tone on laid paper (“Arches” watermark).

Size: (sheet) 29.6 x 40 cm; (platemark) 24.6 x 39 cm; (image borderline) 20.1 x 37 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “L’Art.”; (centre) “Lucien Gautier, del. et sc./ LE PALAIS DE LONGCHAMPS À MARSEILLE.”; (right) “F. Liénard, Imp.”

Beraldi 25 (Henri Beraldi 1887, “Les graveurs du 19e siècle; guide de l'amateur d'estampes modernes”, vol. 6, Paris, L Conquet, p. 254, cat. no. 25).

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed (near faultless) impression trimmed slightly unevenly on the sides. Beyond a flattened fold at the lower right corner, the sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, abrasions, stains or foxing.

I am selling this large and historically important etching showing in great detail the Palais Longchamp opened in 1869—a complex featuring (at the time that this print was executed) a zoo, museums and a marvel of engineering by the builder of Notre-Dame, Henry Espérandieu, Marseille's water reservoir (my apologies for any errors in this description)— for AU$263 in total (currently US$172.34/EUR158.81/GBP134.02 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$263) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in this grand view of one of the major sites of interest in Marseille, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Eugène Bléry, “Bunch of Poppies, Convolvulus, Corncockles and Other Wildflowers”, c1850

Eugène Bléry (aka Alexandre Stanislas Eugène Bléry) (1805–1887)

“Bunch of Poppies, Convolvulus, Corncockles and Other Wildflowers”, c1850, plate 7 from the series, ‘’Suite de 16 planches de fleurs et plantes dans leur habitat’’ (Suite of 16 plates of flowers and plants in their habitat), 1848–50, printed by Lemercier & Cie (fl.1827–99) and published in Paris by Dessaigne (fl.1845–57).

Lithograph printed on heavy wove paper with wide margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 55.5 x 36 cm; (image borderline) 36 x 25.2 cm.

Inscribed in plate/stone within the image borderline: “(left) “EBléry del. Lith”.

Lettered in plate/stone below the image borderline: (centre) “Imp. Lemencier, r. de Seine 57 à Paris./ 7./ Paris. Dessaigne, éditeur 19 Rue de Clery.”

IFF 206 (Inventaire du Fonds Français: Bibliothèque Nationale, Département des Estampes, Paris); Beraldi not described (Henri Beraldi 1885, “Les Graveurs du dix-neuvième siècle”).

The British Museum offers a description of this print: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1859-0709-1994.

Condition: a near faultless impression in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling with generously wide margins as published.

I am selling this large and exceptionally beautiful original lithograph in a near pristine condition, designed and executed by a seminal figure of the 19th century etching revival movement and, interestingly, taught the great Charles Méryon, for AU$220 in total (currently US$144,02/EUR132.83/GBP111.74 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$220) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this very luminous lithograph exemplifying the drawing skills of one of the great 19th century masters of printmaking, 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

Philibert Louis Debucourt, “Étude d'après Rembrandt”, 1813, after Rembrandt

Philibert Louis Debucourt (1755–1832)

“Étude d'après Rembrandt” (Study after Rembrandt) (aka “Bust of a Man with Plumed Cap”; “Tronie of a Man with a Feathered Beret [see https://rkd.nl/images/186430]), 1813.

I understand that the collector, writer and historian, Marcel Guérin (aka Marcel Louis Guérin) (1873–1948), was instrumental in the publication of this etching and the original Rembrandt painting that Debucourt translated into this print was held by the Musée-Napoléon (as inscribed in the plate), but it is now in the collection of the Mauritshuis art museum; see: https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/our-collection/artworks/149-tronie-of-a-man-with-a-feathered-beret/.

Soft-ground etching with dot roulette in the crayon manner (possibly with aquatint as Maurice Fenaille’s 1899 catalogue of Debucourt’s work advises: “Aquatinte à la manière du crayon” [p. 173]), trimmed within the platemark and backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 28.5 x 20.5 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Dessiné et Gravé oar O,L.Debucourt.”; (centre) “Étude d'après Rembrandt,/ Tireé du Musée-Napoléon”.

State ii (of ii) with the addition of the title and publication details.

Fenaille 315 (Maurice Fenaille 1899, “L'œuvre gravé de P.-L. Debucourt (1755-1832)”, Paris, Morgand [E. Rahir et cie, succ.], p. 173, cat. no. 315 [see: https://archive.org/details/luvregravedeplde00fena/page/172/mode/2up]).

Condition: a very strong (near faultless) impression with no tears, holds, folds, abrasion or significant stains, trimmed within the platemark and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins.

I am selling this marvellous and eye-catching portrait study after Rembrandt that (to my eyes) is vibrant with life, for AU$227 in total (currently US$149.78/EUR138.09/GBP116.25 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$227) as this is my currency.

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