Copper engraving on paper; hand colored
Matthias Gottfried Eichler (1748-1818) – German draftsman and engraver
After a painting by Johann Conrad Mayr (1750-?)
Signed and inscribed lower right ‘M. G. Eichler sculpsit.‘ and inscribed lower left ‘Mayr pinxit.’
Titled lower center ‘Vue du Palais Imperial d’hiver, vers la Newa & de ses environs, prise du Coté de Wasiliostroff. Entrepris aux Fraix de Jean Walser, Negociant de la premiere Classe à Moscou, publié en 1799 avec Privilége de Sa Mayeste Imperiale Paul Premier-Empereur de toutes les Russies.’
Image size: 39 x 65.5 cm
Condition: restored edge cracks

In the period around 1797 the German draftsman and engraver Matthias Gottfried Eichler was active for the merchant and art dealer John (Jean) Walser to produce the so called ‘Russian Brochures’ comprised of twelve essential views of Moscow. Eichler and his colleagues, who were also involved in the project, were asked to use paintings by Gérard de la Barthe (1730-1810) and other Russia-based artists as templates. The present work is a hand colored copper engraving, executed after a painting by Johann Conrad Mayer (1750-?). It shows a view of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, the merchants quarter ‘Wasiliostroff’ and the Neva River crossing the city.



The print is signed and inscribed beneath the depiction to the right ‘M. G. Eichler sculpsit.’ and also inscribed to the left ‘de Mayr pinxit.’. Besides, it is titled lower center ‘Vue du Palais Imperial d’hiver, vers la Newa & de ses environs, prise du Coté de Wasiliostroff. Entrepris aux Fraix de Jean Walser, Negociant de la premiere Classe à Moscou, publié en 1799 avec Privilége de Sa Mayeste Imperiale Paul Premier-Empereur de toutes les Russies.’. The sheet is in good condition considering its age. The paper is slightly browned and shows faint crease marks. There is a tiny hole in the upper center of the white margin, as well as a few weak foxing spots. The lower left edge of the paper is missing. A few tears along the edges have been professionally restored. The lower right edge reveals a handwritten pencil note. The image size is 39 x 65.5 cm and the sheet size is 50 x 70.5 cm. The sheet is mounted onto cardboard and matted.



Matthias Gottfried Eichler (1748-1818)

Matthias Gottfried Eichler was born as the scion of a family of artists and therefore received his first artistic training under his father in Augsburg. He then became a student of Georg Philipp Rugendas the Younger (1701-1774) and Johann Gottfried Thelott (1711-1775). In 1767 he moved to Mannheim, where he continued his studies under Aegidius Verhelst (1733-1804) and at the Academy of Drawing. In 1774 Eichler moved to Basel, in order to support Christian von Mechel (1737-1817) in a project. Since 1778 Eichler was active for booksellers like Balthasar Anton Dunker (1746-1807) in Bern. Around 1797 he was one of the artists commissioned by the merchant and art dealer John (Jean) Walser to execute the so called ‘Russian Brochures’ in Herisau, canton Appenzell. Eichler returned to Augsburg in 1805, where he was appointed one of the directors of the Art Academy in 1812. (cbo)

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