"The Day of Baptism", after the 1875' painting by Gustave Brion [1824-1877], antique Victorian photogravure, engraved by Goupil, 1881; printed on heavy stock paper; signed in plate "Gustave Brion, Pinx." and "Gravure Goupil et Cie.". "The Masterpieces of French Art." The description page for this print is included.

Design 7.1/2" x 9.7/8" [190mm x 250mm], the entire plate is 11.1/2" x 14.1/2" [290mm x 380mm]; a little aging, very good condition [see photo].

"Babies, under any circumstances, are the most interesting objects in the world, and, apart from the religious association a charming picture of infancy is here given. The artist has expended much labor upon the laces and rich, quilted coverlet, and has therein achieved a fine piece of texture-work; but that is only a setting for the precious jewel of a babe, whose dimpled face and hands, soft, pulpy flesh, large, liquid, wondering eyes, and rosebud mouth, conquer all hearts by their cherubic loveliness." [Goupil, 1881]

Gustave Brion (Rothau, Vosges 1824-1877), was a French painter and illustrator. Pupil of Gabriel Guerin Strasbourg. He exhibited first at the Salon in 1853.With a few exceptions, such as the 'Siege of a Town by Romans under Julius Caesar', painted on commission for Napoleon III, Brion rarely indulged in historical subjects. He delighted to represent peasants in their natural avocations: here they gather in their potatoes or chat by the village well; there they conduct barges laden with wood down the river; now we see them at a marriage, now hearing mass or attending a burial. Putting aside several subjects drawn from Normandy and Brittany, from the Basque Provinces, and from a stay in Italy, Brion remained true to his love of Alsace, and it is of the doings of her peasantry that he tells us in his paintings.

Gustave Brion also worked as a book illustrator. He furnished two hundred designs on wood for an edition of Victor Hugo's novel Les Miserables, for which he created the first portrayal of Inspector Javert. He also illustrated Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, in which he depicted Quasimodo and Esmeralda.

He received numerous medals in 1853, 1859,1861, 1863, a medal at the Universal Exposition in 1867, the medal of Honour in 1868; and the decoration of the Legion of Honour in 1863.

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.

In contrary to steel engravings, 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.

Rates vary per zone/ country, we will adjust shipping costs with the invoice.

US: Priority (c.2-8 days) ------------ $22.50
Canada: 1st Class (c.2-6 weeks) ---- $30.50
World: 1st Class (c.2-8 weeks) ----- $43.50