"The Marseillaise Hymn," antique photogravure after the painting by Gustave Dore, engraved by Goupil, 1881; printed on heavy stock paper; signed in design "G. Dore 1870" and in plate "Gustave Dore, Pinx." and "Gravure Goupil et Cie." The Masterpieces of French Art series. The original descriptive paper for this print is present. It includes the English version of Marseillaise.

Design 9.7/8" x 7.1/4" [24.8cm x 18.7cm], the entire plate is 15" x 11.1/2" [38cm x 29cm]; a little foxing, very good condition [see photos].

The national anthem of France "La Marseillaise" was named after a group of national guardsmen from the city of Marseillaise marched to Paris to celebrate the storming of the Bastille. Captain Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle, is said to have composed the song on the night of April 24, 1792. This painting symbolizes the spirit of the French Revolution and was done by the renowned French artist Gustave Dore in 1870.

In 1870s-1890s, Goupil & Cie were the leading art dealers in 19th century France, with headquarters in Paris and a network of branches in London, Brussels, The Hague, Berlin and Vienna, as well as in New York and Australia. Instrumental for this expansion was the "Ateliers Photographiques", a plant north of Paris, in Asnieres, which took up its work in 1869. The photogravures created in this plant dominated the world art market of 1880s-1890s.

The creation of the photogravure plate was a complicated process requiring a work by a photographer and experienced master-engraver. First, a copper plate was coated with a light-sensitive gelatin tissue which had been exposed to a film positive, and then etched, resulting in a high-quality intaglio print that can reproduce the detail and continuous tones of a photograph. It is a manual process. Therefore, the quality of the photogravure depends on the masterly execution by the engraver.

Photogravures were engraved on copper plates and leave a plate impression in the paper. Due to relative softness of copper, the editions of photogravures were limited to a few thousand copies similarly to copper engravings and etchings.

Artwork will be mailed unframed.

Note:
Country restrictions may apply, the lesser expansive Priority shipping may not be available to all countries.

US: Priority (c 2-4 days) ------------- $18.50
Canada: Priority (c.2-6 weeks) ------- $44.50
World: Priority (c.2-8 weeks) -------- $61.50