1901 Aquatint Photogravure Charles Sourbe Geuex Taking Leave His Fiance XER8
CONDITION
This 110+ year old Item is rated Near Mint / Very Fine+. Light aging throughout. No creases. No natural defects. No surface rub. No tears. No water damage. Please note: There is a plate impression bordering the image in this print.
- Product Type: Original Photogravure; Black / White
- Grade: Near Mint / Very Fine+
- Dimensions: Approximately 5 x 6.5 inches; 13 x 17 cm
- Authentication: Serial-Numbered Certificate of Authenticity w/ Full Provenance
- Protection: Packaged in a custom archival sleeve with an acid-free black board (great for display, gift-giving, and preservation)
Period Paper is pleased to offer a collection of rare, original 1901 limited edition aquatint photogravures documenting the Dutch Counter-Reformation, numbered 164 of 1000. Reproduced from original Classicist and Romanticist paintings capturing torrents of emotion, the scenes depict the realities of the Counter-Reformation, including love, loss, war, and torture. Printed on a lightly coated, medium weight stock and featuring a plate impression surrounding the image, the prints document a unique period in the development of printing.
The turn of the twentieth century witnessed a profusion of new printing methods, most of which sought to exploit the new possibilities offered by photography. Combining the nuance of tonal description available through the photographic carbon print process and the traditional methods of etching and aquatint, photogravure had, by the late nineteenth century, developed the refined capacity to produce the rich tonal effects of intaglio mezzotints. The capability of producing prints of such quality elevated aquatint photogravures to a photographic method that was to be, Òseriously reckoned with,Ó as Cyril Davenport stated in 1903. A wonderful example of the photographic printmaking capabilities of the time, the collection also documents the common desire of the time to retain the ability to manipulate the image by hand.
Unlike some contemporaneous prints of the early twentieth century, which betray awkward and sometimes unskillful attempts at manual manipulation to the plate, the prints presented in this collection contain only slight indications of efficient handwork. Deft and restrained application of the mezzotint roulette has been hand-applied, reinforcing dark areas and adding slight depth and texture throughout the majority of the prints.
The superb pieces of this collection offer the opportunity to own a beautiful piece of artwork and an example of the finest reproduction method of the early twentieth century.
Keywords specific to this image: Counter Reformation, Dutch Revolt, Love, War, Costume, Solemn Moment
XER8C01