Early 19th Century Jean Baptiste Morret French Etching, Framed

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We kindly suggest you read the whole description, because with it we try to give you detailed technical and historical … Read more We kindly suggest you read the whole description, because with it we try to give you detailed technical and historical information to guarantee the authenticity of our objects.
Particular and rare etching in color with gilded wood frame; the scene represents the arrival at the Fountain of Youth of a large group of people led by a friendly guide who invites people to dive into the magical waters; the group is composed mainly of women, all old or fat, ugly or skeletal who approach the fountain in the hope of being able to change their ugly features. In the foreground, the guide specifically addresses a sullen-looking old noblewoman while a dwarf dressed as a page holds up the woman's cloak. The etching was executed between 1808 and 1810 by the famous engraver Jean Baptiste Morret, who was inspired in allegorical form by "The Fountain of Youth," an oil painting on wood panel, measuring 122.5 × 186.5 cm. made in 1546 by the German painter Lucas Cranach the Elder, and preserved at the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. As written in the caption, the etching is part of a collection of paintings and drawings, preserved at the Napoleon Museum in Paris, which praise the victories of the French "Grande Armèe" of Napoleon in the battle of Jena (October 14, 1806), then in the battle of Eylau (February 7-8, 1807) and finally in the battle of Friedland, defeated the armies of Austria and Prussia, united against France. Also in the caption, we read that "Jouvance" is the name of a nymph transformed by Jupiter into a fountain and whose waters had the virtue of rejuvenating those who bathed in it. The caption also tells us that the etching was printed in Paris by Noel Freres Maestri di Stampa at "Rue Saint Jaques 16 at Pont des Arts and Rue des Pretes Saint Germain l'Auxreois n.22 at la Colonne de Rosback." German painter and artist Lucas Cranach the Elder was probably born around October 4, 1472, in Kronach, Upper Franconia. He was among the most important German painters of the Renaissance. In 1505 he became a court painter at the Saxon court and made numerous allegorical paintings. He made, in addition, a large number of portraits of his teachers and the reformers Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon, who died October 16, 1553, in Weimar. Jean Baptiste Morret was a very skilled and talented engraver of the French school active in Paris between 1790 and 1820, executed many portraits of Napoleon and some of his works are exhibited at the British Museum. The print is in good condition, while the gilded wooden frame has some defects (see photo). Measures width cm. 57, height cm.43, depth cm.2,5, print measures width cm.40, height cm.30. For all our shipments we use special packaging materials (wooden crates, styrofoam, etc.) for maximum protection and safety of the objects. See less