Xviiith Century English and French Prints in Colour : December, 1918

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XVIIITH Century English and French PRINTS COLOUR

1918 c*k\o*oe ^ XVIIITH CENTURY ENGLISH and FRENCH PRINTS in COLOUR

GALLERIES OF M. KNOEDLER & CO. 556-558 Fifth Avenue December, 1918

INTRODUCTI O N

PRINTING IN COLOR

HE art of Printing in Color from an engraved metal plate passed through many phases and many years before it reached its final goal in the XVIIIth Century. Both France and England were tak ing great interest in its devel opment, both finally obtaining their objective, but in different ways. France being the first to arrive; we will endeavor to describe in a general way their method of procedure. Attention must be first drawn to the fact that their finest printing has been with aquatint-plates, employing three in their earlier printing, increasing the number as more colors were required. The three plates mentioned were for the three primary colors, Red, Blue, Yellow, superim posing one over another, where the combination would result in the sought-for color. This process was the invention of an artist named James Christo pher Le Blon, who, although of French extraction, was born at Frankfort-on-the-Main, May, 1667. He lived, as many of the artists did at that time, a wan dering life, receiving most of his training at Zurich. From there he journeyed to Rome, finally leaving 3 that city with a Dutch friend to live in Holland, set tling down there as a miniature painter at Amster dam in the early part of the XVIIIth Century. It was here that he learned about the Isaac Newton theory, that the variegated hues of the spectrum of white light are merely combinations of certain pri mary colors, which are simple and uncompounded, i. e., are not the product of any other combination. He held that all other tints and shades in nature are the result of combinations of these in varying pro portions. He was of the opinion that there were about seven of these primary colors, whilst Hooke, another scientist, held that there were but two, Scar let and Blue. The Newtonian color theory was sub sequently modified to the present one, that there are three color sensations which can be represented by Red, Blue and Yellow. Le Blon seems to have been attracted to this idea, and has been given the credit of having first applied it to the processes of printing in color by the means of separate plates. This all transpired in the early part of the cen tury. Le Blon died in 1741, but he left a number of pupils who carried on his ideas, improving them with the final result of producing in the last quarter of the century the perfection in printing with separate plates, increasing the number as more colors were required; the final printing was usually black. The following are some of his most prominent pupils and imitators: J. G. Dagoty, his sons, Edward Gautier Dagoty 4 and Armand E. Gautier Dagoty; A. Robert, Carlo Lasinio and Jan L'Admiral. The really great French artists were those who came in the last quarter of the century, viz.: P. L. Debucourt, Louis Bonnet, P. M. Alix, J. F. Janinet, Charles M. Descourtis, J. M. Moreau le Jeune, etc. Most of these artists were bom within a year of each other. Jean Baptiste Le Prince was the inventor of Aqua tint Engraving about 1768. The exact year is not known. In regard to the XVIIIth Century English Prints in color, both from Mezzotinto plates and Stipple Engraved plates, printing in color was brought over to England from France by an engraver named Wil liam Wynne Ryloned (born in London, 1732), sup posed to be about the year 1774, whose work con sisted mostly of prints from the Stipple engravings, inking the plate with several colors with the aid of a stump brush. The invention of the process of printing in a number of colors from one plate at a single impression must be chiefly credited to a Lon don engraver, Robert Laurie (1749-1804), who com municated to the "Society of Arts in 1776 a method of producing copperplate pictures in colors at a single impression by inking the plate with stump brushes." This method requires great care and patience, and the printer must be an artist, not an artisan, for the colors which are generally thick and pasty must be rubbed into the plate in their proper 5 places without running over into the next neighbor ing color, the surface of the plate being kept clean; neither must it be left to dry, but kept in a pliable state until all the colors are placed in their proper places; the plate is kept warm for this purpose. As soon as the plate has received all the colors required, print paper is placed over it and passed into the press, where it is subjected to great pressure, with the result that all the colors have been transferred to the paper from the copperplate; the paper is then "pulled" off and left exposed until dry. It is need less to say that to produce good and satisfactory results requires an artist's touch and an artist's knowledge of tones and values. The English XVIIIth Century prints in color from both Mezzotints and Stipple Engraving plates have a delicacy of tone and color which are exceptional for the reason that they are not only printed from the soft copper, but are done by the best artists of that remarkable cen tury. France did not practice to any great extent the art of Mezzotinto.

6 CATALOGUE

ENGLISH PRINTS IN COLOUR

1 ALMEIDA. Published in 1787. Wm. Ward, Painter. W. Ward, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 2 THE ANGLER'S REPAST. Published Nov. 28, 1789. George Morland, Painter. Wm. Ward, Engraver. Mezzotint.

3 H. R. H. PRINCESS AUGUSTA, Second daughter of George III. Ramberg, Painter. William Ward, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 4 VISCOUNTESS LADY ISABELLA ANNA BEAUCHAMP. Published 1790. Sir Joshua Reynolds, Painter. W. Nutter, Engraver. Mezzotint. Lady Beauchamp was the daughter of Charles In gram, 10th Viscount Irvine: married, 1776, Francis Beauchamp, afterwards 2nd Marquess of Hertford. 7 5 BLINDMAN'S BUFF. Published Dec. 14,1768. Geo. Morland, Painter. Wm. Ward, Engraver. Mezzotint.

6 CALCULATION. Published Aug. 1, 1798. B. Westall, R. A., Painter. A. Cardon, Sculptor. Stipple Engraving.

7 CERES. Published latter part 18th Century. Drawn by G. B. Cipriani. F. Bartolozzi, Engraver. Stipple Engraving.

8 CHARLOTTE. Published Aug. £1, 1783. H. Bunbury, Painter. F. Bartolozzi, Engraver. Stipple Engraving.

9 CHILDREN BIRD NESTING. Published Feb. 27, 1789. Geo. Morland, Painter. Wm. Ward, Engraver. Mezzotint. 8 10 CHILDREN NUTTING. Published July 1, 1788. Geo. Morland, Painter. E. Dayes, Engraver. Mezzotint. 11 CRIES OF LONDON. Plate I. MILK BELOW MAIDS. Published July 2, 1793. F. Wheatley, R. A., Painter. L. Schiavonetti, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 12 CRIES OF LONDON. Plate III. SWEET CHINA ORANGES, SWEET CHINA. Published July, 1794. F. Wheatley, R. A., Painter. L. Schiavonetti, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 13 CRIES OF LONDON. Plate IV. Do You WANT ANY MATCHES? Published July, 1794. F. Wheatley, Painter. A. Cardon, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 14. CRIES OF LONDON. Plate VI. KNIVES, SCISSORS AND RAZORS TO GRIND. Published Jan. 1, 1795. F. Wheatley, R. A., Painter. G. Vendramini, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 9 15 CRIES OP LONDON. Plate XI. A NEW LOVE SONG, ONLY HA' PENNY A PIECE. Published Mar. 1, 1796. F. Wheatley, R. A., Painter. A. Cardon, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 16 GUINEA PIGS. Published 1789. Geo. Morland, Painter. T. Gaugain, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 17 DELIA IN THE COUNTRY and DELIA IN TOWN. Published 12th, 1788. (Pair.) Geo. Morland, Painter. J. R. Smith, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 18 DUTY and AFFECTION. Published Mar. 20, 1792. (Pair.) Drawn by Miss Julia Conyers. P. W. Tomkins, Engraver. Stipple engravings. 19 EVENING, OR THE SPORTSMAN'S RETURN. Published May, 1795. Geo. Morland, Painter. J. Grozer, Engraver. Mezzotint. 10 20 LADY (EMMA) HAMILTON. Published Dec. 29, 1785. George Romney, Painter. John Jones, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 21 THE FARMER'S STABLE. Published July 1, 1795. Geo. Morland, Painter. Wm. Ward, Engraver. Mezzotint.

Miss FARREN (COUNTESS OF DERBY). Published Jan. 1, 1792. Sir Thomas Lawrence, Painter. F. Bartolozzi, Engraver. — Stipple Engraving. 23 FELINA. Published March, 1790. Sir Joshua Raynolds, Painter. J. Collyer, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. This is probably a portrait of Theophila (Offy) Palmer, niece of the artist, Sir Joshua Reynolds. 24 MRS. MARIA ANNA FITZHERBERT. Published Feb. 7, 1792. R. Cosway, Painter. J. Condi, Engraver. Mrs. Fitzherbert was the daughter of Walter Smythe, Esq., of Bambridge; born, 1756; married, 11 first Edw. Weld of Lulworth, second Thos. Fitzher- bert; was twice a widow before she was twenty-five years of age; privately married to George, Prince of Wales, at Carlton House, 1785; died in Brighton, 1837. 25 THE FORTUNE TELLER. Published 1784. Sir Joshua Reynolds, Painter. J. K. Sherwin, Engraver. Line Engraving. 26 LADY ELIZABETH FOSTER. Published Aug. 10, 1787. Sir Joshua Reynolds, Painter. F. Bartolozzi, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. Daughter of Frederick Augustus, 4th Earl of Bristol, Bishop of Derry; married, first J. T. Foster, Esq., and second, William, 5th Duke of Devonshire. 27 ELEANOR GWYNN. Published June 2, 1802. Sir Peter Lely, Painter. John Ogborne, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 28 GIRL FEEDING CHICKENS. Published latter part 18th Century. Sir John Russell, Painter. P. W. Tomkins, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 12 29 LADY HAMILTON, AS "THE SPINSTER." Published Aug. 1, 1789. George Romney, Painter. Thomas Cheesman, Engraver. Stipple Engraving.

30 LADY HARRINGTON AND CHILDREN, LORD PETERSHAM AND HON. LINCOLN STANHOPE. Published March 15, 1789. Sir Joshua Reynolds, Painter. F. Bartolozzi, Engraver. Stipple Engraving.

31 INFANCY. (LADY CAROLINE PONSONBY.) Published 1794. R. Cosway, Painter. C. White, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. This lady was married twice; first husband, Earl of Bessborough; second, Wm. Lamb, after Lord Mel bourne ; she was very eccentric; her passion for Lord Byron was such that he spoke of her as "a mad skeleton."

32 JUVENILE EMPLOYMENT. Published May 1, 1798. J. Rising, Painter. W. Ward, Engraver. Mezzotint. 13 33 JANUARY. ONE OF THE SET OF MONTHS. Published 1790. W. Hamilton, Painter. W. N. Gardiner, Engraver. 34 A'LOISIR. Published May 1, 1788. J. R. Smith, Painter. J. R. Smith, Engraver. Stipple Engraving.

35 LOVELY BKUNETTE. Published Sept., 1786. Wm. Ward, Painter. E. Williams, Engraver. Stipple Engraving.

36 THE MAIL COACH. (In a Storm.) Published Jan. 1, 1801. Geo. Morland, Painter. S. W. Reynolds, Engraver. Mezzotint.

37 ELIZABETH, COUNTESS OF MEXBOROUGH. Published 1784. John Hoppner, Painter. Wm. Ward, Engraver. Mezzotint. The sole heiress of John Stephenson, Esq., of East Burnham, Bucks, and Cox Lodge, near Newcastle- 14 on-Tyne; born April 25, 1762; married, at St. George's, Hanover Square, Sept. 2, 1782, John, 2nd Earl of Mexborough; died in Piccadilly, June 7, 1821.

38 THE MOTHER'S HOPE. Published Jan. 1, 1807. J. C. Stadler, Sculptor. Aquatint.

39 JANE ELIZABETH, COUNTESS OF OXFORD. Published 1799. John Hoppner, Painter. S. W. Reynolds, Engraver. Mezzotint. This lady was the daughter of the Rev. James Scott, Vicar of Itchen, Hants; born in 1774; mar ried, March 3, 1794, Edward, 5th Earl of Oxford; died, Nov. 20, 1824. Lady Langdale, the daughter of the above Coun tess, bequeathed the original oil portrait to the Na tional Gallery in 1873.

40 PEACE. Published Oct. 19, 1783. L. B. Cipriani, Painter. F. Bartolozzi, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 15 41 RURAL REPOSE. Published about 1800. F. Wheatley, Painter. I. Geremia, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 42 THE SAVOYARDS. Published 1800. H. Singleton, Painter. C. Turner, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 43 THE "SCHOOL DOOR" and THE "COTTAGE DOOR." Published 1798. (Pair.) F. Wheatley, Painter. Geo. Keating, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. The "School Door" is otherwise known as "Ten derness Persuading Reluctance." 44 ST. JAMES and ST. GILES BEAUTIES. Published September, 1783. (Pair.) J. H. Benwell, Painter. F. Bartolozzi, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. The ladies who posed for these two portraits were the second and third of the seven daughters of James Burrough, Lord of the Manor of Alton Priors, County Wilts, and lineally descended on their moth er's side from the old Earls of Huntingdon. Pris- 16 cilia, the elder, "St. James Beauty," married Mr. Brooks, founder of the Brooks Club; Elizabeth, "St. Giles Beauty," married Mr. Barnett, a solicitor.

45 SELLING RABBITS and CITIZEN'S RETREAT. Published Jan. 1, 1796. (Pair.) James Ward, Painter. William Ward, Engraver. Mezzotints. 46 SENSIBILITY (LADY HAMILTON) March 25, 1789. George Romney, Painter. Richard Earlom, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 47 SIMPLICITY (MISS GWATKINS) Published May 12, 1787. Sir Joshua Reynolds, Painter. F. Bartolozzi, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gwatkins. Mrs. Gwat kins was Miss Theophila Palmer, the niece of Sir Joshua Palmer. Miss Gwatkins (Simplicity) mar ried Mr. Lowther.

48 LADY SMYTH WITH HER CHILDREN. Published 1789. Charlotte, Lady Smyth, was a daughter of Sir Francis Blake Delaval, K. B.; married 1776, Sir 17 Robert Smith, M. P., for Colchester; her son George Henry, the late Baronet, changed his name from Smith to Smythe. The children are George, Henry, Louisa, and Charlotte. 48a JANE COUNTESS OF HARRINGTON WITH HER CHILDREN 48 and 48a, Pair Sir Joshua Reynolds, Painter. F. Bartolozzi, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. Lord Petersham (standing by her side), and Hon. Lincoln Stanhope (standing behind her). 49 SNAKE IN THE GRASS. Published 1802. Sir Joshua Reynolds, Painter. Wm. Ward, Engraver. Mezzotint. 50 SNAKE IN THE GRASS. Published Sept. 24, 1787. Sir Joshua Reynolds, Painter. J. R. Smith, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 51 THE SQUIRE'S DOOR and THE FARMER'S DOOR. Published by J. R. Smith, 1790. (Pair.) Geo. Morland, Painter. B. Duterrau, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. 18 52 HON. LEICESTER STANHOPE. Published June, 1787. Sir Joshua Reynolds, Painter. F. Bartolozzi, Engraver. Stipple Engraving. He was the third son of Charles, 3d Earl; was born in 1784; married 1831, Elizabeth, only child of W. Green, Esq., of Jamaica; succeeded, 1851 as 5th Earl of Harrington.

53 Miss CATHERINE STEPHENS. Singer and actress, afterwards Countess of Essex. Born 1794-1882. Published by E. Orme, 1816. Geo. Henry Harlow, Painter. Wm. Say, Engraver. Mezzotint.

54 SOPHIA WESTERN. Published March 20, 1800. Adam Buck, Delineator. Percy Roberts and J. C. Stadler, Engravers. Aquatint.

19 FRENCH PRINTS IN COLOUR

55 ANNETTE ET LUBIN. Published 1789. Debucourt, Painter. Debucourt, Engraver. Maniere du lavis. Scene finale du lsr acte de Popera-comique de Favart 1789. The two miniatures portraying them in old age. There is also a landscape with a sign giving the name of the hamlet where they lived hap pily together. 56 L'AVEU DIFFICILE. Published 1787. Lavreince, Painter. F. Janinet, Engraver. Maniere du lavis. Janinet was most celebrated for his blending of colors, calling himself "physicien." His aquatints are among the finest produced in the eighteenth cen tury. 57 LA BASTILLE DETRUITE OU LA PETITE VICTOIRE et LE Coa SECOURU. J. B. Huet, Delineator. Bonnet, Direcxit. Maniere du crayon. (Pair.) The engraver "Bonnet" and "L. Marin" are iden tical ; his full name is Louis Marin Bonnet. He be- 20 lieved or pretended to believe that he had discovered a certain process of printing in color; that honor now is given to Jean Charles Francois. He did, however, introduce a gold border.

58 LA BERGERE DES ALPES. Published 18th Century. Valin, Painter. Roger, Engraver. Maniere du lavis. 59 LA BERGERE DES ALPES. Published about 1781. J. B. Huet, Painter. J. B. Morret, Engraver. Maniere du lavis. 60 LE BERGER DANGEREUX. Published 18th Century. Barbier, Painter. Jubier, Engraver. Maniere du lavis. 61 LE PETIT CHATEAU DE CARTE. Published 18th Century. J. B. Huet, Painter. Bonnet, Engraver. Maniere du crayon. 62 LE COQ SECOURU. J. B. Huet, Painter. Bonnet, Engraver. Maniere du crayon. 21 63 LE PETIT CAVALIEE. J. B. Huet, Painter. Bonrfet, Engraver. Maniere du crayon. 64 LA COMPARISON. Published 1786. Lavreince, Painter. Janinet, Engraver. Maniere du lavis. 65 LE COMPLIMENT OU LA MATINEE DU JOUR DE L'AU et LES BOUQUETS OU LA FETE DE LA GRAND MAMAN. Published 1788. (Pair.) Louis Philibert Debucourt, Painter. Debucourt, Engraver. Maniere du lavis. 66 LE DEJEUNER ANGLAIS. Published 1785. Nicholas Lavreince, Painter. G. Vidal, Engraver. Maniere du lavis. 67 EDOUARD DAGOTY, INVENTEUR DE LA GRAVURE EN COLEURS. Kanchsius, Painter. Carlo Lasinio, Engraver. Mezzotint. From Mr. R. M. Burch's 1910 work on Color Printing and Color Printers we extract the following from page 59: "Le Blond being dead, his pupils soon began to squabble among themselves as to which 22 of them was best entitled to wear the mantle of the deceased color printer. The honor ultimately fell to, or was seized upon by, Jacques Gautier Dagoty, who was a native of Marseilles. Almost directly after Le Blon's death he petitioned the Council of State for a re-grant to himself of the patent for Le Blon's process, of which he said he had a better knowledge than anyone else. He obtained a thirty- years' "Privilege" in Sept., 1741. Dagoty added a fourth plate in printing. The above portrait is the son of Jacques Gautier Dagoty.

68 MME. DUGAZOU, DANS LE ROLE DE NINA or LA FOLLE PAR AMOUR (FROM "COSTUMES ET ANNALES DES GRANDS THEATRES DE PARIS," 1786.) Dutertre, Painter. Janinet, Sculptor. Maniere du lavis.

69 LES ECHASSES. Published 18th Century. J. B. Huet, Painter. Bonnet, Engraver. Maniere du crayon.

70 LES PETITS GOURMANDS. Published 18th Century. J. B. Huet, Painter. Bonnet, Engraver. Maniere du crayon. 23 71 L'INDESCEETION. Published 1788. Nicholas Lavreince, Painter. Janinet, Engraver. Maniere du lavis.

72 LA JAHDINIER et LA SAVONNEUSE. Published about 1793. (Pair.) Aug. St. Aubin, Delineator. A. S. Phelipaux, Engraver of La Jardinier. Julien and Moret, Engravers of La Savonneuse. Maniere du lavis.

73 LA LANTERNE MAGIQUE DE L'AMOUR. Published 18th Century. Michael Ange Schall (or Challe), Painter. P. M. Alix, Engraver. Maniere du lavis.

74 HETJR ET MALHEUR. Published 1787. Debucourt, Painter. Debucourt, Engraver. Maniere du lavis.

75 LES OEUFS CASSES. Published 1769. Jean Baptiste Le Prince, Painter and Engraver. Maniere du lavis. 24 76 EES SoiNS MATERNELS AND L'ACCORD MATERNEL. Published June 1, 1781. (Pair.) J. B. Huet, Painter. L. Marin Bonnet, Engraver. Maniere du crayon. 77 LA NOCE ATJ CHATEAU, AND LE MENUET DE LA MARIEE. Published 1789. (Pair.) Louis Philibert Debucourt, Painter. Debucourt, Engraver. Maniere du lavis.

78 PASTORALES (4) ATJX AMOURS. Published 18th Century. J. B. Huet, Painter. Gilles Demarteau, Engraver. Maniere du crayon. Demarteau claims to have discovered this process

79 LA REUNION DES PLAISIRS. Published 18th Century. Le Clerc, Painter. Janinet, Engraver. Maniere du lavis. 80 LES BOULES DE SAVON. Published 18th Century. J. B. Huet, Painter. Bonnet, Engraver. Maniere du crayon. 25 81 LE TAMBOURIN. Published 18th Century. Taunay, Painter. Descourtis, Engraver. Maniere du lavis.

82 BOWER OF VENUS. Published Sept. 1, 1825. R. Westall, Painter. G. Kellaway, Engraver. Stipple Engraving.

83. VENUS. Published 1792. I. Cond<5, Painter. I. Conde, Engraver.

84 VOLTAIRE. (DEDIE A BELLE ET BONNE FILLE ADOPTIVE DE VOLTAIRE.) Garnerey, Painter. P. M. Alix, Engraver. Maniere du lavis. ^Arranged (35. Printed by" Lewis W. Goerck 925 Sixth tAve., N. Y. City"