1721 Copper Engraving Portrait Francis Duke Anjou Alencon France Monarchy EUM2

This is an original 1721 black and white copper engraving of "Franciscus Herzog von Alencon." This is a portrait of Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alençon, the youngest son of Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici. The portrait is surrounded by a wonderful decorative motif mimicking a frame against a wonderfully etched background. It features two lions flanking a cherub resting above an angelic face at the top of the print. From the corners appears a cascading grape vine design that flows downward, undulating past two grotesque heads, and framing the sides of the portrait. Upon the base of the frame two dragons sit at the corners, while an ornate, broach-like oval is found in the center, flanked by two additional cherubs.

CONDITION

This 290+ year old Item is rated Very Fine +++. Light foxing and aging. No creases. No natural defects.No surface rub.No tears. Light moisture wrinkling - center. Please note: There is a plate impression bordering the image in this print.

• Product Type: Original Copper Engraving; Black / White
• Grade: Very Fine +++
• Dimensions: Approximately 8 x 13.5 inches; 20 x 34 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 an extremely rare and impressive early eighteenth century collection of biographies and portrait engravings and etchings, produced in Leipzig, Germany in 1721 and 1722. Included are notable monarchs, rulers, religious figures, and members of notable Houses throughout Europe, including several genealogical charts of dynastic lines, spanning the sixteenth to early eighteenth centuries. The collection is comprised of exquisitely engraved and etched copper portrait plates framed by varying decorative motifs, all engraved by Johann Friedrich Rosbach. Many of the portraits include separate biographical pieces ranging in length from a single paragraph to several pages for more notable European monarchs and emperors. If present, the accompanying text is in German and is composed of beautiful woodcut text, with most pages containing elegantly etched drop cap initials, head-and tail-pieces and vignettes. The superb, folio-sized stock upon which the collection is engraved and etched employed the latest advances in eighteenth century paper making and highlights the era's predilection for strong, lightly sized paper with a fine structure and smooth surface. The paper's characteristics are thus similar to Japanese Gampi, and the result is well-preserved and crisp images that exceptionally capture Rosbach's fluid and sharp line work. This collection represents a unique opportunity to collect a valuable part of European history stunningly composed and illustrated.

Keywords specific to this image: Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Empire, Habsburg Dynasty, Habsburg Monarchy, Austrian Monarchy, Spanish Monarchy, Portuguese Monarchy, European Nobility, European Royalty, European History, Netherlands, Treaty of Plessis-les-Tours, Edict of Beaulieu, Protector of the Liberty of the Netherlands

EUM2C21