Original title
LES CASCADES DE SCEAUX
Mentions
Sont sur la gauche en entrant dans le jardin, où la situation en pente a donné occasion de faire plusieurs scenes qui en rendent l'aspect admirable : et ce qui est plus Surprenant, est l'abondance des eaux dans un lieu si élevé, qui ont été heureusement decouvertes par le Sr. Le Jongleur, et dont la chûte, après avoir enrichi les Perrons et les Cascades (qui sont de l'Invention de Mr le Nôtre) vient terminer dans le grand Basin octogone.
Description
XVIIIth century optical view in original watercolors. Original copper plate engraving on laid paper with watermark heightened with watercolor at that time. Circa 1770, depicting a view of the Waterfalls of the Château de Sceaux (France).
During the 18th Century, several renowned establishments in Paris, London (England), Augsburg (Germany) and Bassano (Italy) were specialized in the creation of these optical views. They could be viewed alone or through a zograscope, a wooden foot surmounted by a lens which enlarged the image and accentuated the perspective effect. They could also be placed in optical boxes, the spectator then looked inside the box through the lens. This distraction was greatly appreciated in the 18th Century in the salons of the bourgeoisie and the nobility as in the countryside thanks to the hawkers.
These etchings are nowadays exhibited in museums around the world and extremely appreciated by collectors and decorators for their historical interest and their high decorative value.
Condition report
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The Parc de Sceaux was designed by André Le Nôtre at the end of the 17th century at the request of Colbert and then his son, the Marquis de Seignelay. During the Revolution, by the speculations of the Black Band, the domain was plundered, sold to a farmer, and the castle like the waterfalls were destroyed. A new castle was erected from 1856 by his daughter, married to the Duke of Treviso.
In 1670, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, general controller of finance for Louis XIV, who wanted to have an estate near Paris and not far of Versailles, to establish his country house there, bought the land of Sceaux from the three heirs of René Potier, Marquis of Gesvres, Duke of Tresmes. He proceeded to major land acquisitions in order to enlarge the area which he brought to a hundred hectares. Colbert enlarged the building, which had been built after 1597, and designed a French-style park by André Le Nôtre, decorated with statues commissioned from famous architects such as Antoine Coysevox and François Girardon. The architect is not known, but given the eminent position of the sponsor - who had been entrusted since 1664 with the office of Superintendent of the King's Buildings - there is little doubt that he should one of the greatest of this era, perhaps Antoine Le Pautre. Recent research has made it possible to find the names of the two entrepreneurs: Maurice Gabriel and Jean Girard who built the central body of the Château de Saint-Cloud. Claude Perrault intervened for the construction of the chapel which was in the south wing of the castle.
The Galerie Napoléon is pleased to propose to you this strong water etching printed 254 years ago (around 1770).
As for all the antique prints in our catalogue, this optical view LES CASCADES DE SCEAUX datant de 1770 is dispatched worldwide within 24H in a Secured packaging, accompanied by its certificate of authenticity guaranteeing the name of the artists (draughtsman, engraver, editor), the impression process used (Strong water) and its date (1770).
In order to guarantee a perfect conservation in time, this strong water etching is dispatched, ready to be framed, under museum quality color passepartout (manufactured without acid in the pulp for a neutral pH) on a cream mountboard made from carton bois (also acid free & neutral pH), in a luxurious portfolio.
At the apogee of the mode for optical views, between 1750 and 1790, four European cities specialized in their edition: Paris (France), London (England), Augsburg (Germany) and Bassano (Italy).
Optical views are prized in very different social circles : pleasant recreation in aristocratic salons, the views are admired in beautiful and richly decorated optical boxes which are real works of art. The show was transformed into a real scientific experiment. But the optical views also entertained the people who were in a hurry when a hawker set up a box on a market and began to narrate the extraordinary events that had taken place in a more or less distant and inaccessible country.
There are three categories in the production of optical views.
With more than 20 years experience and a catalogue of more than 40.000 antique prints, drawings and historical documents dating from the 14th to the 19th century, the Galerie Napoléon, parisian antique dealer's gallery, is one of the world references in the field of antique prints,etchings and antique graphic arts.
In addition to thousands of impassioned of antique prints throughout the world, the Galerie Napoléon is honoured to count among its customers : national archives, museums, historical monuments and important home designer companies. All attracted by the extraordinary diversity of its catalogue and the quality and speed of its services.
This experience allows us to guarantee to each one of our customers the authenticity of the antiques in our catalogue and the shipment of their orders within 24 hours.
Customize for free the color of your museum quality bevel cut edge passepartout (acid free & neutral pH) among a color chart of 23 shades.
This option will be offered to you free of charge in the cart.
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