Traité historique et pratique de la gravure en bois

Details

JEAN MICHEL PAPILLON (1698 - 1776)
Traité historique et pratique de la gravure en bois
the book of three volumes (Vol. 2 and 3 issued together)
a fine copy of the first edition, published in 1766, Paris, by Pierre-Guillaume Simon
comprising the artist Self-Portrait, six chiaroscuro woodcuts including five decompositions of the same woodcut printed from five different colour blocks, and some en-texte illustrations
bound in contemporary marbled brown calf boards, with the title in gilt on the spine, the sheet edges tinted red;
together with:
Girolamo Bolsi (active 1589-1593) after Bartolommeo Neroni (1505-15- before 1571)
Stage Design for 'L’Ortensio'
chiaroscuro woodcut printed from four blocks in shades of grey and black
circa 1589
on laid paper, watermark Eagle in Circle surmounted by a Crown (similar to Woodward 72, and Takahatake 22)
a fine, strong and early but damaged impression
very rare, presumably first state (of two), published by Andrea Andreani
with margins on three sides
with losses and severely trimmed into the subject below, removing the lower part of the stage and text
Books 205 x 130 x 40 mm. (each )
Sheet 273 x 380 mm. (print)(2)

Provenance

Xavier Hatz II, Colmar, sculptor (not in Lugt). (Papillon)
Christopher Mendez (1943-2025), London; then by descent to present owners.

Literature

Bartsch 29; Takahatake 106 (Bolsi)

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Stefano Franceschi Specialist

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Lot Essay

Jean-Baptiste Papillon's Traité historique et pratique de la gravure en bois is one of the earliest treatises on the chiaroscuro woodcut technique. Together with several en-texte illustrations on technical aspects and decorative vignettes, it contains six chiaroscuro woodcuts: Saint Andrew (in vol. I) and a decomposition (in vol. II) printed separately from four different line and tone blocks and one impression of the final image with all four blocks combined, depicting a standing man in a cloak carrying a book, in the style of Parmigianino.

Added to this lot is a damaged but early impression of a rare, late 16th-century chiaroscuro woodcut, printed from four blocks: the line block in black and three tone blocks in shades of grey. The print depicts the stage design for the play L'Ortensio by Alessandro Piccolomini, a romantic comedy staged in Siena and produced by the Accademia degli Intronati. The prospect was designed by the Sienese architect Bartolomeo Neroni (1504-1571), called 'Il Riccio', and the print made by Girolamo Bolsi, and published by Andrea Andreani.

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