ETIENNE DELAUNE - GOLDSMITH'S WORKSHOP - 19thC. HELIOGRAVURE by AMAND DURAND

Description: THE GOLDSMITH'S WORKSHOP 19th CENTURY HELIOGRAVURE RE-WORK BY CHARLES AMAND-DURAND (French, 1831-1905) OF AN ENGRAVING MADE IN 1575 BY ETIENNE DELAUNE (French, 1518-1583) Inscribed at bottom right corner "Stephanus (a.k.a. Etienne) fecit in Avgusta (August)", and the date 1575 is adjacent. Fascinating print here, very unusual subject with a wealth of fine detail. Delaune was himself a Master goldsmith and naturally knew his subject extremely well - as well as being a fine print engraver. We see the Master goldsmith to the right of the scene, with two apprentices seated; another apprentice turns a winch on the left, and on the right an apprentice holding a pair of tongs is near to an oven. The print is thought to show Delaune himself as the Master, with the figure near the oven being his son Jean. The nineteenth-century Durand re-works of rare Old Master etchings and engravings using the process of heliogravure is well documented. CONDITION: Very good. The print has been protected by its original tissue-guard (which I have retained and will include) and is in fine condition. Printed on "laid" paper which is nicely age-toned. The platemark line is clearly visible and there are good margins beyond. Excellent crisp detail, lovely tonal contrast. The engraved image measures 8.5 x 12 centimetres. The platemark area adds about half an inch all round, and there are good wide margins. REFERENCE: You can check it online at the British Museum, ref. 1951,1120.5. In the Library refer to Robert Dumesnil, "Le Peintre-Graveur Francais", IX.83.266. For English-language, a discussion of the print is to be found in Elizabeth Goldring, "Nicholas Hilliard: the life of an artist", (Yale University Press 2019) fig. 19. Charles Amand Durand (1831-1905) developed the process of heliogravure in the 1860s. It was revolutionary, and was much admired by Georges Duplessis (1834-1899), Curator of the Prints Department of the National Library in Paris. The two men decided to collaborate on a lengthy project to re-create some of the rarest Old Master prints in the French collection; Duplessis provided the originals, early states, and Durand used them to meticulously recreate them by heliogravure. The results were first published in two volumes by Duplessis under the auspices (and with the total involvement) of the French National Library. The works proved so popular that subsequent editions were printed in France in the period 1860-1885. This impression published circa 1880. There was a time when the print purists looked down on the work of Durand; but, as the supply of original items has virtually dried up, collectors have come to realise that Durand's re-creations are the closest most of us will ever come to owning a lifetime impression of these rare etchings. I suggest that potential buyers compare my offering here with a scan of one from the major museum collections, and form your own opinion. I think that most people will be really impressed by the exactness of the work, and the way in which it retains both the technical skill and the creativity of the original masterpiece. You can compare it with online examples from the world's leading museums. The fact that Durand's work is now included in many museum collections (including the British Museum) is surely a powerful endorsement. ***** MARKETWATCH***** Durand's recreation of this print has become very scarce - as you do your due diligence, check on ebay.com site and the wider web and you'll see it offered for sale at nearly £200 when framed up. (Sorry I don't have a frame for it...) ALL MY ITEMS ARE SENT VIA ROYAL MAIL TRACKED SERVICE, FOR EVERYBODY'S PEACE OF MIND.

Price: 35 GBP

Location: Wadhurst

End Time: 2024-08-03T11:47:10.000Z

Shipping Cost: 15.5 GBP