| Title: |
La Musique (Music) |
| Artist: |
Baron, Henri Charles Antoine 'Henri Baron' (Besancon, 1816 - Geneva, 1885) |
| Date: |
1855 |
| Medium: |
Original Lithograph |
| Publisher: |
Bertauts, Paris |
| Printer: |
Bertauts, Paris |
| Source: |
Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes, Paris (5th Volume) |
| Note: |
Henri Baron 'Henri Charles Antoine Baron': A major mid nineteenth century painter, lithographer and illustrator, Henri Charles Antoine Baron studied art techniques in Paris under both Narcisse Virgile Diaz de la Pena and Jean Gigoux. Around 1836 Henri Baron traveled through Italy in the company of Jean Gigoux and Francois Louis Francais. He began exhibiting his art at the Paris Salons in 1840 and his art was immediately praised by none other than Theophile Gautier. |
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A Romantic artist, Baron became most highly regarded for his genre scenes and depictions of women and children. He was also a fine illustrator and provided the images for such books as Balzac's Le Peau de chagrin (1838), Boccaccio's Decameron (1842) and Mothe-Fenelon's Aventures de Telemacque (1846). |
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Along with Eugene Leroux, Celestin Nanteuil, Adolphe Mouilleron, and Francois-Louis Francais, Henri Charles Antoine Baron co-founded "Les Artistes Contemporains" in 1843 . Henri Baron was also a regular contributor to the Paris series, "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes", a ten volume series which began publication in 1850. "La Musique" (Music) was created for this set and dates from 1855. It bears the publisher’s circular blindstamp in the lower margin. The Biblioteque National de France, includes an of the lithographic frontispiece created by Celestin Nanteuil (1813-1873), for "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes" dated 1855. It reads; "Par H. Baron, L. Francais, E. Leroux, A. Mouilleron, C. Nanteuil, Gavarni, K. Bodmer C. Jacaque, - 5eme Volume, Paris, "Imp. Bertauts, r. Cadet, Paris", listed date, 1855, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b8451451f. Henri Baron contributed at least three original lithographs to the fifth volume of "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes", plate 93 "Jeux d'enfants" (Children Playing), plate 103 "Coquetterie"(Coquetry) and plate 119 "La musique (Music), as well as the lithographic Title-page, "Le peintre" |
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As mentioned earlier, Henri Baron's contributions to "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes", were numerous, he created original lithographs based upon his own designs mostly in the 1850's and 1860's. Lithographs commissioned from Baron for "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes" include pl 4 "La sortie de l'eglise", pl 6 "L'Alchimiste", pl 12 "La Sorciere", pl 16 "Seduction", pl 41 "Les Pecheuses", pl 48 "Le madrigal", pl 66 "Mme D'Epinay et J. J. Rousseau", pl 69 "Le Musicien ambulant", pl 80 "Sculpteurs", Title page to the 3rd livraison, pl 93 "Jeux d'enfants", pl 103 "Coquetterie", "Le peintre", pl 119 "La musique", pl 148 "La Soubrette", pl 232 "La Princesse Micomicona", and others. Lithographs created by Baron for this same series after paintings by 18th and 19th century artists include pl 54 "La Chatelaine" after Richard Parkes Bonington, pl 58 "Flore" after Camille Roqueplan, pl 67 " Mme d'Epinay" after Jean Etienne Liotard, pl 88 "Soir d'ete" after Barthelemy Menn, pl 126 "L'Orientale" after Adolphe Mouilleron, |
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Shortly before his death in 1885, Henri Charles Antoine Baron was appointed chevalier de la legion d'honneur by the French government. Today his fine art is included in such major collections as the Museum of Geneva, the Louvre, Paris, the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C., and the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. |
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La Musique (Music): Both designed and created by Henri Charles Antoine Baron, plate 119 entitled "La Musique" is an original lithograph published in 1855. It hails from the fifth volume of a ten-volume periodical, containing lithographs by or after 18th and 19th century artists such as Francois-Louis Francais, Adrien Guignet, Jean Francois MIllet, Narcisse Diaz de la Pena, Paul Gavarni, Jean Baptiste madou, Jean Franccois Gigoux, Louis Matout, Alfred de Curzon, Camille Roqueplan, Karl Bodmer, Charles Jacque, Joseph Felon, Celestin Nanteuil, Jean Baptiste Camille Corot, Vitor Joseph Chavet and of course, Henri Charles Antoine Baron. "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes" continued to issue prints, mainly by and after contemporary artists, until 1862. The scene in "La Musique" portrays a grouping of elegantly dressed singers ranging in age from children to adults. The composition is illustrated within an arched frame. "La Musique" is signed by Henri Baron in the stone to the lower right and bearing the blindstamp of "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes", the artist's name "H. Baron, pinx. et lith.", & the printer's details "Imp. Bertauts, r. Cadet, Paris" in the lower margin. The British Museum, London, includes an of plate 119 entitled, "La Musique" in its permanent collection. It can be viewed online under the Museum number: 1880,0710.124. |
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Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes, Paris: From 1850 to 1862 a collection of masterpieces from the French school of art was commissioned for "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes" and published in ten volumes. Note: The Inventaire du Fonds Francais: Bibliotheque Nationale, Departement des Estampes, Paris, describes 'Livraisons' as 'volumes'. Each volume consisted of reproductive and most importantly, original prints created by contemporary French artists of the 19th century. These works bear the blindstamp of "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes". Each volume contained a frontispiece featuring an original print, and twenty four plates, making it a total of two hundred and forty plates (mostly lithographs) and ten lithographic frontispieces (Title-pages), published under the title, "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes", both printed and edited by Bertauts in Paris. This series is similar to another set entitled, "Les Artistes Contemporains", also published in album form from 1845 to 1853. See: Puits Breton (Breton Well) by Jules Laurens for further information on the series entitled, "Les Artistes Contemporains". Various 'proof s & early s' (before numbers and or letters), were also sold individually. As this of "La Musique" bears the blindstamp of "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes" printed before the addition of the number (119) in the upper right margin, it appears to be one of the individual proof s. |
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In order to establish the dates of publication for prints published by Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes, Paris, the following information is provided. In the "Catalogue Raisonne: "L'oeuvre de Gavarni", page 415, the authors, J. Armelhault / Bocher, write that seven Gavarni lithographs were part of a suite consisting of two hundred and forty lithographs created by diverse artists, published successively and then reunited in ten volumes under the title, "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes", Paris, printed by Bertauts, however, no publication dates were provided. Further research takes us to the Catalogue Raisonne entitled, "Decamps et son Oeuvre: Avec des Gravures en Facsimile", page 121. The author, Adolphe Moreau, writes that "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes" was both edited and printed by Bertauts, with a few printed by Lemercier. Moreau then notes that the publication began in 1848 and ended in 1862. It is possible Moreau is referring to the date of first issue, as some of the prints published in "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes" were previously issued by L'Artiste", "Les Artistes Contemporains" and other publications as early as 1848. For example, the 1849 French volume entitled, "Bibliographie de la France" includes a list of books published in 1849 and a preview of new books for the following year. "Les Artistes Anciens et Moderns" is included in this list. *See: "Bibliographie de la France, ou Journal General, de L'Imprimerie et de la Librarie, et des cartes Geographiques, Gravures, Lithographies et Oeuvres de Muique". XXXVIII Annee, Paris Chez Pillet Aine, Libraire, Editeur du Voyage Autour du Monde, de la Collection des moeurs Francaises, Anglaises, etc. Rue des Grands-Augustins, No 7, 1849. page 580, listed under, "'Estampes (1). Gravures et Lithographies. Sujets de Genre. # 511.-"Les Artistes Anciens et Moderns, par MM. H. Baron, Francois, Gavarni, E. Leroux, Mouilleron, C. Nanteuil, Etc. Primiere Livraison. Impr. lith. de Bertauts, a Paris". |
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The British Museum includes the first three volumes of “Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes” in their collection, Registration Number 1936,0302,14.1. And, the Metropolitan Museum of Art includes the complete set of ten volumes of "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes" in their permanent collection, Accession Number: 22.106.36.1-.10. Both museums concur that the series was published in ten volumes, twenty four prints plus a Title-page per volume. They note that each volume lists the plates with titles, and a brief description with the names of the original artists, however, they only list the approximate dates of publication (c.1848- c. 1862). |
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One of the most important sources of French history and knowledge is the Biblioteque National de France. Within its vast archives, it includes various lithographs from "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes". The following lithographs included in its collection may help to identify the publication dates for this series. Beginning with the lithographic frontispiece created by Celestin Nanteuil issued in the first volume, the Biblioteque's listed date is 1850. The text on the lithograph reads; "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes par H. Baron, L. Francais. Eug. Le Roux, A. Mouilleron, C. Nanteuil, 1er Volume, 1ere Annee, Paris, Impr. lith. Bertauts, r St. Mare,14", Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b84512896. The listed date for the frontispiece by Nanteuil that appeared in the third volume is 1852, text on that print reads "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes par H. Baron, Francais, E. Leroux, A. Mouilleron, C. Nanteuil, Gavarni, K. Bodmer, C. Jacques, 3eme Volume, Paris, Imp. Bertauts, r Cadet", identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b8451290b, and Plate #207, "Le Philtre", created by Celestin Nanteuil after a work by Armand Leleux was published in the ninth volume, 1860, Identifiant: ark:/12148/btv1b84513513. |
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The "Catalogue of the Inventaire du fonds Francais apres 1800 / Bibliotheque nationale, Departement des estampes", Jacques Letheve et Francoise Gardey, Tome Quatorzieme, 1967 includes a complete listing for works in its collection that were published by Les Artistes anciens et moderne. The works are dated by tome and volume. This original Eugene Leroux lithograph is listed under, "124 Fonds Francais Apres: (#81), PL dans Les Artistes anciens et moderne, impr. Bertauts, Tome I, [1850]: 2. Le Singe au miroir, d'apr. Decamps". Other examples include, (1851-1852), tome II, vol. 3, tome III, vol. 5, (1853-1854), tome IV, vol. 7, (1856-1857), tome VIII, (1858), tome IX (1859 - 1860), and tome X (1861 - 1862). In conclusion, we will note the dates provided by the Biblioteque National de France'. which are (1850 - 1862). Twenty four prints per volume (plus the Title-page), starting with volume 1, (plates 1-24), volume 2, (plates 25-48), volume 3, (plates 49-72) , volume 4 (plates 73-96) etc. etc. For further information concerning the publication dates for "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes", please view, Le Singe au Miroir (The Monkey at the Mirror) by Eugene Le Roux. |
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Bertauts, Publishing & Printing Firm (c. 1830's - c. 1970's): The renowned French lithographic publisher and printer, Bertauts was considered one of the finest printers in Europe during the mid-nineteenth century. According to the Beaus-Arts – de la Lithographie et des Imprimeurs, Bertauts began printing lithographs after 1826 and established his lithographic firm in 1836. During the 1830's and into the 1870's, original lithographs printed by Bertauts appeared in such publications as, "L'Artiste, Paris" (1831-1904), "Album du Salon" (1839-1844), "Les Beaux-Arts" (1843-1844), "Les Artistes Contemporains", (1845 - 1853), "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes, Paris" (1850 - 1862), "Animaux et Paysages d'Apres Nature" (1858), the "Gazette des beaux arts" (1859-1939), "Souvenirs d' Artistes" (1860-1876), and other major 19th century art journals of the time. La Musique (Music) was printed by Bertauts for the Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes published in Paris by Bertauts in 1855. |
| Raisonne: |
Adolphe Moreau, "Decamps et son Oeuvre: Avec des Gravures en Facsimile", Paris, 1869.
Catalogue #112, First and Only State. |
| Raisonne: |
J. Armelhault et Bocher, "Catalogue Raisonne: L'oeuvre de Gavarni, Lithographies Originales et essais d'eau-forte et de procedes nouveaux, Libraire des Bibliophiles, Rue Saint-Honore, 338 Paris, 1873. Suites Publiees Isolement, Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes, page 415. |
| Reference: |
Jacques Letheve et Francoise Gardey, "Catalogue of the Inventaire du fonds francais apres 1800 / Bibliotheque nationale, Departement des estampes", Tome Quatorzieme, 1967. |
| Reference: |
E. Benezit, "Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs", Paris, Libraire Grund, 1966, Vol. 1, pp. 411 & 412. |
| Size: |
8 1/8 X 5 3/4 (Sizes in inches are approximate,
height preceding width of plate-mark or image.) |
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Matted with 100% Archival Materials |
| Buy Now |
Price: $295.00 US |
| Condition: |
Printed upon chine colle and impressed onto a large sheet of wove paper and with full margins as published in "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes" in 1855. Signed by Henri Baron in the stone to the lower right and bears the blindstamp of "Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes", the artist's name "H. Baron, pinx. et lith.", & the printer's details "Imp. Bertauts, r. Cadet, Paris" in the lower margin. Containing overall toning and staining (most noticeable in the margins) as a result of an earlier, acidic matting, else in fair condition throughout. "La Musique" (Music) represents a beautiful, original example of the French Romantic art of Henri Charles Antoine Baron. |
| Subject: |
Henri Charles Antoine Baron, Henri Baron, "La Musique", (Music), original lithograph, Les Artistes Anciens et Modernes, a grouping of elegantly dressed singers, mid nineteenth century painter, lithographer and illustrator. Bertauts, chevalier de la legion d'honneur. |
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