"The Wall of Solomon" after the painting by Jean-Leon Gerome, antique photogravure; engraved by Goupil, 1881; printed on heavy stock paper; signed in plate " J. L. Gerome, Pinx." and "Gravure Goupil et Cie." "The Masterpieces of French Art" The description sheet for this print is included.

Printed on high quality heavy paper, design 6.7/8" x 9.1/4" [176mm x 234mm], the entire plate is 11.1/2" x 15" [290mm x 380mm]; a little aging, a little corner wear, some foxing, very good condition [see photo].

Jean-Leon Gerome (1824-1904) was a French painter and sculptor in the style now known as academicism. His paintings were so widely reproduced that he was "arguably the world's most famous living artist by 1880." The range of his oeuvre included historical painting, Greek mythology, Orientalism, portraits, and other subjects, bringing the academic painting tradition to an artistic climax. He is considered one of the most important painters from this academic period. He was also a teacher with a long list of students.

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.

US: Priority (c 4-10 days) ----------- $22.50
Canada: 1st Class (c 2-6 weeks) -- $32.50
World: 1st Class (c 2-8 weeks) --- $42.50