Maxime Lalanne

Le Cours La Reine, from the series Rouen Illustré

1883

François Antoine Maxime Lalanne (1827-1886) was a leading French etcher and painter of landscapes and urban views, who was at the forefront of the French revival of etching during the 1860's. He grew up in Bordeaux, but he refined his artistic skills and worked in Paris. His art was first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1852 and he continued to regularly show both etchings and paintings there until the mid 1880's. He was also the author of several important books on the subjects of etching and other graphic arts. He was a founding member of the Societe des Aquafortistes, along with Auguste Delatre, Cadart, Ribot and Bracquemond. Lalanne created over one hundred and fifty fine etchings. Lalanne's unique style of art influenced many French and English artists in the twentieth century. Philip Gilbert Hamerton (1834-1894) was a British artist, art critic and author. He was particularly focussed on contemporary graphic art and printmaking techniques. He frequently wrote about the theory of the English Etching Revival, contributing to the establishment of etching as an original and major art medium. He was the editor of The Portfolio (1870-1893), a major arts publication dealing extensively with the art of etching. His most influential book was "Etching and Etchers", which detailed the creative and technical aspects of etching and engraving. The first edition was published in 1868 and included original etchings by Jongkind, Haden and Palmer, as well later states of 17th century Dutch masters. He published a second edition in 1876 without any original etchings. A third edition was published in 1880 in a large paper edition, limited to one thousand copies, which included twenty original etchings from contemporary artists Whistler, Haden, Palmer, Israels, Jacque, Jacquemart, Lalanne, Appian, Legros, Herkomer. including this original Lalanne etching of the port of Bordeaux in winter.