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ex-libris THE WORLD OF EX-LIBRIS |
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A historical retrospective 2 EX-LIBRIS FROM THE ENLIGHTENMENT TO DECADENCE 1700 -1860 |
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2b FRENCH EX-LIBRIS 1700 -1800
The stylistic evolution of bookplates in France during the 18th
century is very marked, going from stiff frontal armorial presentations
to graceful, charming vignettes. Woodcut bookplates
practically disappeared, and the few examples known are rather
unrefined. The French Revolution affected bookplates, and aristocratic
heraldic ex-libris practically disappeared in the 1780s,
reappearing with Empire armorial style in the early 19th century.
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2b/1. L. Le Roux (F)  NICOLAS RéMY FRIZON DE BLAMONT, C2,
143 x 108, 1704.
Viz. GMN p. 69 ill., Hamilton p. 85 ill. This plate is in typical Louis XIV style, and its type was to endure until about 1725. The amusing and extravagant supporters and tenants of the 17th century have become sculptural and rigid, and the heraldic setting is more formal and pompous. |
2b/2. Claude Audran (F, 1658-1734) ANTOINE COLIN, C2,
150 x 130, 1706.
Viz. GMN p. 76, 77.
This ex-libris probably cannot be attributed to Claude I Audran (1592-1677), active at Lyon, as it bears the date of 1706. Its style, however, despite its date, is very archaic and one can even won-der if the date – or even the whole inscription – was not added by a later hand. In such a case, attribution to Claude I Audran might be possible (see plate 1d/14) |
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2b/3. Sebastien Le Clerc (F, 1637-1714) & Claude Duflos (F,
1665-1727) MATTHIEU FRANçOIS GEOFFROY, C2, 122 x 88,
c.1710.
Viz. GMN p. 77, 78 ill., 79.
Le Clerc was very influential and his style – particularly in the use of small images in book illustration – marked the evolution of French engraving, with repercussions on several generations of artists. |
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2b/4. J. D. Beleau (F) JEAN HUé DE LA ROQUE, C2, 142 x 90,
1724.
Viz. GMN p. 126.
This ex-libris was made to mark the gifts of the Archbishop of Rouen to the library of his town, and the artist also made an ex-libris for the Archbishop’s own books. The ornate cartouche with substantial inscription became fashionable in the 18th century. |
2b/5. ? (F) ANDRé ALEXANDRE NORMANDEAU, X1, 133 x 107,
c.1720.
Viz. GMN p. 130.
Wood engravings were cheaper – already in the 18th century – than metal engravings, and were occasionally chosen as an alternative to a copper-engraved ex-libris. Their style, however, is usually rather primitive and they tend to look old-fashioned in comparison with their intaglio contemporaries. A larger edition could, however be printed, and there lay their advantage. |
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2b/6. Claude François Nicole (F, 1700-1783) DES SALLES
DE BUGNéVILLE, C2, 121 x 91, c.1730.
Viz. GMN p. 122, Quantin No. 1001, ill. p. 163. An early piece by this artist from Lorraine, still in a style which is still reminiscent of certain 17th century plates. Nicole engraved about thirty ex-libris. |
2b/7. Jean Charles François (F, 1717-1759) LEPELLETIER DE
MARTINVILLE, C2, 113 x 172, c.1750.
Viz. GMN p. 107. This ex-libris is by an artist who developped an interesting technique of engraving ‘in drawing style’. It is characteristic of the mid-eighteenth century. |
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2b/8. François Boucher (F, 1703-1770) JEAN-FRANçOIS
HENAULT, C3, 103 x 70, c.1750.
Viz. P-M pp. 28, 33 ill. and 58,
Hamilton p. 91, GMN p. 111, 121, Graphia 1970, p157-161, ill.
Painter to the King and protégé of Madame de Pompadour, the great Boucher designed about a dozen bookplates, but only one seems to have been engraved by his hand. This ex-libris for Henault (1685-1770), president of the parliament of Paris and close friend of Voltaire and Marie Leczinska, was engraved by a noted amateur artist, Philippe de Tubières de Grimoard, comte de Caylus (1692-1765). |
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2b/9. François Boucher (F, 1703-1770) JEAN LAURENT
AUBLé, C3, 102 x 62, c.1760.
Viz. P-M p. 28 and 58, Hamilton p.
91, GMN p. 111, 121, etc., Graphia 1970, p157-161, ill.
A master of pastoral and mythological scenes,Boucher is often called le peintre des Amours (the painter of putti). His design for Aublé was engraved by Pariset of Lyon (*1740), a professional engraver who ensured a good reproduction of the original drawing. Note the play on Aublé’s name, by the wreath of wheat (blé). Two variants bear the artist’s initials and the engraver’s name. |
2b/10. François Boucher (F, 1703-1770) CROZAT DE
THIERS, C3, 127 x 76, c.1750.
Viz. Graphia 1970, p157-161, ill. p.
158.
The engraver of Boucher’s design for Crozat de Thiers has not been identified, although the print bears at the bottom ‘F. Boucher F.’. If the engraver was not Boucher, then this inscription was nearly certainly written by the engraver, and differs substantially from what is thought to be Boucher’s inscription on the Valory plate (see GMN p. 111). |
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2b/11. ? (F) MARIE-ANGéLIQUE DE SCORAILLES, C2, 210 x 175,
c.1750.
A spectacular large mid-eighteenth century plate with the characteristic lozenge-shaped shield of single or widowed women’s coats of arms. The Scorailles are a family from Auvergne, and the titular also had the titles of Marchioness of Roussilhe and Duchess of Fontanges. |
2b/12. Louise Le Daulceur (F, 1721- 1756) MME
D’ARCONVILLE, C3, 76 x 58, c.1750.
Viz. GMN p. 113; Hamilton p.
323; Labouchère p. 216, 218 ill.; Wiggishof p. 139, 140 ill.
Antoinette-Louise Mignot de Montigny, who used Louise Le Daulceur as artist’s name, is one of the few women engravers in the 18th century. She made some ten ex-libris, sometimes designed by other artists, such as this one, drawn by Charles-Dominique Eisen (1720-1778). Madame d’Arconville, whose maiden name was Marie Charlotte Geneviève Darlus (1720-1805) was a writer and intellectual. Badly disfigured by smallpox at the age of 23, she turned to intellectual pursuits and wrote several novels under assumed names and translated British authors into French. Perhaps this explains the artists’ choice of image: Minerva, on clouds, with Mme d’Arconville’s favourite volumes: Milton’s poems and Torquato Tasso. |
2b13 to 2b21
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