Aquatint Interior Prints

Hand Signed. Artist's Proof. Good conditions.

An early 19th century print entitled "Bow Street Office", an illustration (Plate 11) from "The Microcosm of London", published in London in 1808 by R. Acker...

Aquating Engraving Image Size: approx. 20 1/4 x 13 3/8 Framed Size: 28 x 20.5 inches Pencil Signed Lower Right Louis Justin Laurent Icart was born in Toulouse in 1890 and died in Paris in 1950. He lived in New York City in the 1920s, where he became known for his Art-Deco color etchings of glamourous women. He was first son of Jean and Elisabeth Icart and was officially named Louis Justin Laurent Icart. The use of his initials L.I. would be sufficient in this household. Therefore, from the moment of his birth he was dubbed 'Helli'. The Icart family lived modestly in a small brick home on rue Traversière-de-la-balance, in the culturally rich Southern French city of Toulouse, which was the home of many prominent writers and artists, the most famous being Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Icart entered the l'Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Toulouse in order to continue his studies for a career in business, particularly banking (his father's profession). However, he soon discovered the play writings of Victor Hugo (1802-1885), which were to change the course of his life. Icart borrowed whatever books he could find by Hugo at the Toulouse library, devouring the tales, rich in both romantic imagery and the dilemmas of the human condition. It was through Icart's love of the theater that he developed a taste for all the arts, though the urge to paint was not as yet as strong for him as the urge to act. It was not until his move to Paris in 1907 that Icart would concentrate on painting, drawing and the production of countless beautiful etchings, which have served (more than the other mediums) to indelibly preserve his name in twentieth century art history. Art Deco, a term coined at the 1925 Paris Exposition des Arts Decoratifs, had taken its grip on the Paris of the 1920s. By the late 1920s Icart, working for both publications and major fashion and design studios, had become very successful, both artistically and financially. His etchings reached their height of brilliance in this era of Art Deco, and Icart had become the symbol of the epoch. Yet, although Icart has created for us a picture of Paris and New York life in the 1920s and 1930s, he worked in his own style, derived principally from the study of eighteenth-century French masters such as Jean Antoine Watteau, François Boucher and Jean Honoré Fragonard. In Icart's drawings, one sees the Impressionists Degas...

"Poulaho, King of the Friendly Islands, Drinking Kava" is an engraving created by William Sharp (1749-1824), from a drawing by John Webber (1752-1793), who was the artist on Captain James Cook's 3rd and final voyage of discovery. It was published in the atlas of "A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean Undertaken by the Command of His Majesty, for Making Discoveries in the Northern Hemisphere", the official British Admirality sanctioned journal published upon completion of the voyage in London in 1784 by Strahan & Cadell. Captain Cook visited Tonga on his 3rd voyage, which he named The Friendly Islands because of the warm welcome he and his crew received, unlike some of the other more hostile Pacific islands. The engraving depicts Cook and his men observed a kava ceremony at the village of Mu’a on Tongatapu. King Paulaho sits in the centre foreground, his back to the spectator with a man kneeling before him. The ceremonial mat depicted behind Paulaho indicates that nobody was allowed to sit behind him. The figure in the centre holds a single cup, referring to the Tongan custom of offering the cup to the king first. Kava is native to the islands of the South Pacific and was first described for English readers in 1768 by Captain James Cook. The kava root has been used for centuries as a central feature of ceremonies and celebrations because it was able to bring about a calming and pleasant social atmosphere. The root was crushed and processed into coconut milk to become the focal ceremonial beverage, simply referred to as kava. This engraving is presented in a Koa wood frame and a white mat. Koa wood is legendary in Hawaii. There are occasional faint spots, but the print is otherwise in very good condition. This amazing Koa wood is native to Hawaii and it is known for the deep rich colors and varied grain pattern. Koa has an honored heritage in Hawaii and is highly revered and sacred. The word “koa” means “warrior” in Hawaiian. The warriors of King Kamehameha the Great, created canoes and weapons from a wood plentiful on the Big Island of Hawaii. This wood became synonymous with the warriors themselves, and it became known as koa. There are three other engravings listed from the official journal of Captain Cook's 3rd voyage available that are presented in identical Koa wood frames and mats (LU117324682422, LU117324684052, LU117324684032). They would make a wonderful grouping for a display of 2, 3 or 4 prints. A discount is available for a grouping depending on the number of items included. Captain Cook is remembered as one of the greatest explorers and navigators in history. His explorations included Australia, New Zealand and islands of the South Pacific and the northwest coast of North America. Hawaii was discovered by Captain Cook during this voyage. Hawaii was originally called The Sandwich Islands in honor of The Earl of Sandwich...

From David Hockney’s celebrated Six Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm portfolio, an image from the story of ‘The boy who left home to learn fear’. Hockney chose this story for its ...

From David Hockney’s celebrated Six Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm portfolio, an image of the story ‘The boy who left home to learn fear’. Hockney chose this story for its obscu...

Etching and aquatint on cream laid, watermarked Rives paper. 6 5/8 x 5 inches (167 x 126 mm). Sixth and final state, a posthumous impression. A fine, inky impression with full margin...

This Depression-era New York City subway scene says it all. The body language of all five passengers tells us where each of them is in his or her ...

Etching on cream wove paper, 2 3/8 x 3/14 inches (61 x 83), full margins. Signed, dated and inscribed "IV" in the artist's hand. In very good condition. Fletcher states only two tria...

"The Spinner" is an original etching by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris. It depicts a woman in an interior next to a spinning wheel. The artist signed the piece lo...

A lovely, dark impression with excellent provenance. Paris: Lemerre, 1880. Etching, drypoint, aquatint (dust ground and spirit ground), spit bite, and roulette in black on cream laid paper with a deckle edge, 6 3/4 x 4 1/2 inches (170 x 112 mm), full margins. Fourth state (of 5). An illustration from Alphonse Daudet's, Lettres de mon moulin, Paris, 1880. In very good condition with some light uniform toning and two areas of paper tape at the top right and left corners on the verso (from a former mount). With the 1921 J.H. de Bois circular ink stamp in green ink in the lower right margin on the recto (Lugt L.733). [Bourcard 113]. A note regarding the provenance: J. H. de Bois was a well known late-19th century modern art...

Hand initialed and numbered by the artist. Etching and aquatint in colors, on handmade paper. Image size: 13.5 X 21.25 in. Sheet size: 22.5 x 31.25 in. Framed. Edition of 50. Artwor...