Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 3

Jean Baptist Le Prince
Woman in Fantasy Costume (pair)

18th Century

$30,000
£22,779.71
€26,050.30
CA$41,914.35
A$46,617.91
CHF 24,342.42
MX$567,290.34
NOK 310,889.88
SEK 291,559.86
DKK 194,423.37
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

The pair consists of the present work and an engraving after it by the hand of Giles DeMarteau (Liège 1722 – 1776 Paris) titled Woman in Fantasy Costume, after Jean Baptiste Le Prince, and measuring, 10 ⅜ x 8 ⅝ inches (26.5 x 22 cm). DeMarteau's engraving is inscribed at the bottom: Le Prince inv. del. / Demarteau sc. / A Paris ches Demarteau Graveur du Roi, rue de la Pelterie à la Cloche. N.o 389. Provenance: Charles E. Slatkin Galleries, New York; where acquired in April 1973 by: Ivan E. Phillips, Montreal and New York, until 2023. Exhibited: “Colorful Impressions: The Printmaking Revolution in Eighteenth-Century France” National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, 26 October 2003 – 16 February 2004. Literature : L’oeuvre de Gilles DeMarteau l’Aine Graveur du Roi, Paris, 1896, p. 101, cat. no. 389. Ivan E. Phillips, “A Collector’s Perspective,” in Colorful Impressions: The Printmaking Revolution in Eighteenth-Century France, ed. Margaret Morgan Grasselli, exh. cat., Washington D.C., 2003, pp. 33, 78-79, cat. nos. 27a-b. This fascinating pairing reunites Jean Baptiste Le Prince’s chalk drawing of a woman in fantasy costume with the colored print made after the original by the Flemish engraver Gilles DeMarteau. Le Prince was a pupil of François Boucher. He is best known for his extensive travels in Russia in the 1750s and 1760s, and the many depictions of Russian figures and subjects made throughout his career. The composition of this drawing and print were once thought to represent a woman in Russian costume, but it is more likely the product of the artist’s imagination. Following his return to France, he often made to works from models dressed in costumes collected throughout his travels, and this finished drawing is likely one such example—posed rather than studied from life. DeMarteau spent the majority of his artistic career in Paris, where he established himself as an engraver and specialized in crayon manner—a copperplate-engraving process that faithfully reproduced chalk drawings in print. DeMarteau’s great skill in replicating red chalk drawings and the vogue for collecting drawings led to great success for the artist, who eventually rose to the position of Engraver to the King (“Graveur du Roi”), as indicated on the present sheet. His oeuvre includes 560 numbered plates, of which ours is no. 389. Our engraving by DeMarteau is inscribed at the bottom: “Le Prince inv. del. / Demarteau sc. / A Paris ches Demarteau Graveur du Roi, rue de la Pelterie à la Cloche. N.o 389.”

More From This Seller

View All
Petite Fille
By Joseph Ramanankamonjy
Located in New York, NY
Signed and inscribed, lower center: Joseph / Ramanankamonjy / Madagascar / Petite fille / “aquarelle sur soie” Provenance: Private Collection, Paris Private Collection, Florida Som...
Category

20th Century Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Silk, Watercolor

The Assumption of the Virgin
Located in New York, NY
Provenance: Unidentified collector’s mark “D.G.R,” lower right (Lugt 757b) Wilhelm Suida (1877–1959), New York; by descent to: Robert L. and Bertina Suida Manning, New York, until 1996 Private Collection, USA This impressive drawing of the Assumption of the Virgin is the work of the Genoese artist Giovanni Battista Paggi. The son of a nobleman, Paggi received a humanist education and was a self-taught artist. According to Paggi’s first biographer, Raffaele Soprani, it was only after encountering Luca...
Category

16th Century Old Masters Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink, Pen

The Flight into Egypt
Located in New York, NY
Inscribed: 3. una Madonna che va in Egitto, verso, and Madonna che va in Egitto, recto Provenance: Private Collection, UK, since 1999 This expressive and boldly executed drawing is the work of Luca...
Category

16th Century Old Masters Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Chalk, Ink, Pen, Paper

Two Scenes of Diana and Actaeon (a pair)
By Giovanni Battista Viola
Located in New York, NY
Provenance: Robert L. and Bertina Suida Manning, New York, until 1996 Private Collection, USA Giovanni Battista Viola was born in Bologna a...
Category

17th Century Baroque Landscape Paintings

Materials

Copper

Portrait of a Bewigged Gentleman
By Vittore Ghislandi
Located in New York, NY
Vittore Ghislandi, called Fra Galgario Provenance: Robert L. and Bertina Suida Manning, New York, ca. 1966-1996 Private Collection, USA Exhibited: “Eighteenth Century European Pai...
Category

18th Century Baroque Paintings

Materials

Copper

Study of a Franciscan Saint, probably San Diego de Alcalá
Located in New York, NY
Provenance: Ivan E. Phillips, Montreal and New York, until 2023. The brothers Bartolomé Carducho and Vicente Carducho, both born and trained in Florence, settled in Spain where they made their careers. Vicente worked on numerous commissions for both the church and the Spanish court...
Category

17th Century Old Masters Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Chalk, Ink, Pen

You May Also Like

Costume drawings for ‘Ambassadeur de Siam’ and ‘La Sultana Reine’
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Joseph-Marie Vien (1716-1809) ‘Ambassadeur de Siam’ and ‘La Sultana Reine’ Both titled lower centre, the drawing of the ambassador inscribed with colours intended for the prints, e...
Category

Mid-18th Century Old Masters Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pencil

Theatrical Costume - Drawing - 19th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Theatrical costume is a beautiful pencil drawing on brown-colored paper, realized during the XIX century by an artist. In good conditions, except f...
Category

19th Century Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pencil

Theatrical Costume - Drawing - 1860s
Located in Roma, IT
Theatrical Costume is an original watercolour realized by an unknown artist in 1860s. Good condition, so signature. Included a white cardboard pas...
Category

1860s Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Ink

Untitled, Woman in Costume
By Vincent Breton
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork "Untitled, Woman in Costume" c. 1960 is a watercolor and gouache on beige thin paper by French artist Vincent Breton, b.1919. It is hand ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Portrait of a young woman in Louis XV period dress
Located in BELEYMAS, FR
French School Portrait of a young woman in Louis XV period dress Pastel on paper mounted on oval canvas H. 68 cm; W. 54 cm (Frame: H. 102 cm; W. 71 cm) 18th century frame, anti-refle...
Category

Mid-18th Century French School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paper, Pastel

Jean-Henri Cless (1774-1812) Portrait of a young woman, signed drawing
Located in Paris, FR
Jean-Henri Cless (1774-1812) Portrait of a young woman in a landscape signed "Cless fec" for fecit on the lower left Brown ink and brown ink wash on paper Size of the sheet : 31.5 x 22 cm Size of the motive : 24.5 x 17 cm very simply framed under glass without actual frame 32 x 22.5 cm This pre...
Category

Early 1800s Old Masters Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Pencil