Antiochia – Cassas, Louis François (Azay-le-Ferron, Indre, 1756 – Versailles 1827). Antioche, vue de la porte dite de Médine (Bab el-Medynah), prise en dehors, sur le chemin de Halep. Numerous rush at the gate approached by a caravan, too. Engraving by supposedly Michel Picquenot (1747 Rouen after 1808). (1799.) Inscribed: Dessiné par L. F. Cassas. / Gravé par Picquenot. 29,4 x 46.4 cm.
Painterly sheet
in marvelous warm-toned impression before the letter .
“Picquenot … brought it … to great skills, especially in the representation of the landscape” (Nagler). – Untrimmed. – In addition to the by itself already unusually wide white platemark of top 1.6, laterally 4 and below 5.5 cm with 3.3-4.3 cm white paper margin around. In the latter as well as in the direct platemark here and there mostly just quite minimally stained, only on the left two somewhat larger pale yellowish color spots, one of which still extending up to 1.3 cm into the white platemark. Isolated small(est) tears in the white margin done acid-freely.
“ C. already early found the themes and the technique which dominate the work and are the foundation of his success: With documentary accuracy, yet at the same time with a great antenna for decorative effects and atmosphere he creates views of landscapes and towns, their life, events, costumes, and national customs … Foremost in the center of the work the representation of important architecture, however. In the desire for completeness and exactness C. is quite a contemporary of the encyclopedists. Corresponding to the interests of the clients and the audience he directs his particular attention to the architecture of antiquity … With few exceptions … as a matter of principle C. proceeds from his personal view and therefore starts with sketches, studies and surveys on the spot. The actual means of his representation then is a special technique of the watercolor characteristic of him, partly in very large formats. He works with animated, often dramatically intensified chiaroscuro and rich coloring. Additionally he still enhances the line drawing by black pen stroke so that also the pictorial watercolors are of great exactness in detail and sometimes have the effect of colored prints. The realization of these motifs in print frequently is intended from the beginning and made for a great part of his success … In the train of the French ambassador Choiseul Gouffier C. goes on his most important journey to the Orient … It reveals to C. the whole fascination of the Oriental world. C. takes the opportunity to extend this journey and become acquainted with the whole region of the Levant … The journey is C.’s biggest professional experience, it takes place under partly highly adventurous circumstances and leads him up to Egypt … After the return C. elaborates the immense yield of his Oriental expedition in Rome, presents the first results to the public, and creates a considerable sensation ”
(Uwe Westfehling, Allgemeines Künstler-Lexikon XVII, 1997, 131).
Offer no. 12,531 / EUR 445. / export price EUR 423. (c. US$ 576.) + shipping
„ … Die (vom Schwiegervater geerbten Par force-Jagd) Ridinger … habe ich in meinem Arbeitszimmer bestens neben einem Gobelin plaziert und möchte sie nicht mehr verkaufen. Besten Dank und ein Kompliment an Ihr Haus, dass sie nach so vielen Jahren noch an mich gedacht haben “
(Herr K.-A. H., 2. Februar 2004)