19th century engraving figurative landscape Victorian urban city scene signed

1874

"VALMY! (L'Estampe Moderne)" is a print watermarked PL BAS after a drawing by Adolphe Willette. It depicts a general with his army and a young girl. 15 3/4" x 12" art 23" x 19 1/4" frame Adolphe Léon Willette (30 July 1857 – 4 February 1926) was a French painter, illustrator, caricaturist, and lithographer, as well as an architect of the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret. Willette ran as an "anti-semitic" candidate in the 9th arrondisement of Paris for the September 1889 legislative elections. Biography Willette was born in Châlons-sur-Marne. He studied for four years at the École des Beaux-Arts under Cabanel, training which gave him a unique position among the graphic humorists of France. Whether comedy or tragedy, dainty triviality or political satire, his work is instinct with the profound sincerity of the artist. He set Pierrot upon a lofty pedestal among the imaginary heroes of France, and established Mimi Pinson, frail, lovable, and essentially good-hearted, in the affections of the nation. Willette is at once the modern Watteau of the pencil, and the exponent of sentiments that move the more emotional section of the public. Always a poet, and usually gay, fresh, and delicate, in his presentation of idylls exquisitely dainty and characteristically Gallic, illustrating the more "charming" side of love, often pure and sometimes extremely materialistic. Willette frequently reveals himself bitter and fierce, even ferocious, in his hatreds, being a violent though at the same time a generous partisan of political ideas, furiously compassionate with love and pity for the people whether they be ground down under the heel of political oppression, or are merely the victims ot unrequited love, suffering all the pangs of graceful anguish that are born of scornful treatment. There is charm even in his thrilling apotheosis of the guillotine, and in the introduction into his caricatures of the figure of Death itself. The artist was a prolific contributor to the French illustrated press under the pseudonyms "Cemoi", "Pierrot", "Louison", "Bebe", and "Nox", but more often under his own name. He illustrated Melandri's Les Pierrots and Les Giboulles d'avril, Le Courrier français, and published his own Pauvre Pierrot and other works, in which he tells his stories in scenes in the manner of Busch. He decorated several "brasseries artistiques" with wall-paintings, stained glass, &c., notably Le Chat noir and La Palette d'or, and he painted the highly imaginative ceiling for La Cigale...

"Le Petit Cirque Prinder" is an original etching by Auguste Brouet. This piece depicts a variety of circus performers surrounded by small children. The artist signed the piece in the...

"The Temptation of Saint Anthony" is an original etching by Fernand Cormon. This piece has the artist's stamp. The piece is signed in pencil by the artis...

"The Marriage of Saint Margaret and King Malcolm" is an etching by Scottish artist Alexander Runciman. There is an engraved signature with the artist's monogram followed by "pinxit et fecit," indicating that Runciman both designed the original drawing and likely executed the etching on the metal plate. On the left, a young woman with a halo in fine dress stoops slightly and gathers her skirts as she leans over to accept the ring that the man on the right is reaching to place upon her finger. He is also young, dressed finely, and wearing a crown. Between them, a church official with a pointed hat and a long flowing beard recites the appropriate prayers for the occasion, while onlookers crowd in the background. The tiled floor demonstrates the use of one-point perspective, and the church appears to be in the Gothic style. Art size: 8 3/4" x 7 1/4" Frame size: 26 1/2" x 22 3/8" Alexander Runciman (Edinburgh 15 August 1736 – 4 October 1785 Edinburgh) was a Scottish painter of historical and mythological subjects. He was the elder brother of John Runciman, also a painter. He was born in Edinburgh, and studied at the Foulis Academy, Glasgow, and from 1750 to 1762 he was apprenticed to the landscape painter Robert Norie, later becoming a partner in the Norie family firm. He also worked as a stage painter for the Theatre Royal in Edinburgh. In 1767, he went to Rome, where he spent five years. His brother John accompanied him, but died in Naples in the winter of 1768–69. During Runciman's stay in Italy he became acquainted with other artists such as Henry Fuseli and the sculptor Johan Tobias Sergel...

This is a hand-colored copper-plate engraving entitled "Gelsiminum Catalonicum, Mairana Latifollia, Euphasiaramosa Pratensis Flore Albo, Euphasia Minus Ramosa Flore Excereruleo Purpurascente", depicting flowering Jasmine, Mountain Laurel...

This is a hand-colored copper-plate engraving entitled "Cistusflore Albo, Balaustium Flore Minori Romanum, Cotinus", depicting flowering Pomegranate, Rock Rose...

This is a hand-colored copper plate engraving entitled "Pulegium Cervinum, Pseudo Pulegium Struthium, Pulegium Regium", depicting flowering Peppermint, Weld and Pennyroyal plants respectively from Basilius Besler's landmark work, Hortus Eystettensis (Garden at Eichstatt), first published in 1613 in Eichstatt, Germany near Nuremberg and later in 1640 and 1713. This beautiful colorful engraving is printed on thin laid chain-linked paper. There are subtle creases in the right upper corner, very common with Besler's relating to the drying of the paper during its production. The right margin is thinner than the others. The print is otherwise in excellent condition with striking hand-coloring. Basilius Besler (1561–1629) was an apothecary and botanist. He was curator of the Willibaldsburg Castle garden of Johann Konrad von Gemmingen, prince bishop...

This is a hand-colored copper plate engraving entitled "Matricaria Flore Simplici, Matricaria Flore Pleno, depicting flowering Feverfew and Double-flowered Feverfew plants, from Basilius Besler's landmark work, Hortus Eystettensis (Garden at Eichstatt), first published in 1613 in Eichstatt, Germany near Nuremberg and later in 1640 and 1713. The feverfew plant is also known as featherfew, featherfoil, or bachelor’s buttons...