Bachaumont

1897 · 74009 — Paris: Imprimerie Champenoispour CH. MassonH. Piazza 1897. Fine. Imprimerie Champenois pour CH. Masson H. Piazza Paris Décembre 1897 22.50 x 34.50 cm une feuille et une serpente Rare original lithograph in sanguine manner executed by Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer for L'Estampe Moderne series number 8 published in December 1897. One of 50 deluxe proofs printed on Japan paper with large margins laid paper mounted on Japan paper artist's signature in the plate publisher's dry stamp representing a child's profile in the lower margin numbered stamp of the deluxe edition on the reverse; engraving preceded by a tissue guard inscribed with the artist's name title and text trace of an angular fold; blank tissue guard. Lithograph inspired by an extract from Bachaumont which is reproduced on the print's tissue guard. Magnificent French monthly publication issued between May 1897 and April 1899 L'Estampe moderne consists of unpublished chromolithographs which unlike other periodicals such as Les Maîtres de l'Affiche and as stipulated on the tissue guards were specially created by each artist for the periodical. Thus 100 prints appeared in total covering the major artistic movements of the late 19th century: Symbolism Art Nouveau Pre-Raphaelites Orientalists and Belle Epoque. Each delivery of four prints was issued in 2000 copies sold at 3.50F and 100 on Japan paper offered at 10F. Henri Piazza also planned a confidential deluxe edition: 50 copies on Japan paper with large margins and 50 in black on China paper at the considerable price of 30F. This print of handsome format is superbly printed on the most prestigious of papers: Japan paper. Thick silky satiny and pearlescent it contributes to making each page a work of art in its own right. Its quality of ink absorption and its affinity with colors also make it the ideal support for these very beautiful lithographs. The interest of French collectors in artistic posters grew at the beginning of the 1890s. Octave Uzanne to describe this fever invented the term ""affichomanie."" The poster originally popular and posted in the streets of the capital then became an art object and its ephemeral support became precious and destined for preservation. Piazza decided to remove the poster from its advertising vocation and elevate it to the rank of a complete work of art on the same level as the luxury illustrated book. He thus composed a prestigious collection of entirely original works by the most prominent European artists of the moment: Georges de Feure Eugène Grasset Henri Detouche Emile Berchmans Louis Rhead Gaston de Latenay Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer Gustave-Max Stevens Charles Doudelet Hans Christiansen Henri Fantin-Latour Steinlen Ibels Engels Willette Henri Meunier Evenepoël Bellery-Desfontaines Charles Léandre etc. Handsome copy. Imprimerie Champenoispour CH. MassonH. Piazza unknown