Auguste Donnay

Second International Photographic Art Exhibition by Auguste Donnay, 1897

1897

Plate 30 from Alphonse Mucha's Figures Decoratives, a folio of forty color lithographic plates published by Librairie centrale des beaux-arts in 1905. Issued during a period of incr...

Lithograph of Auguste Donnay’s Cercle des Beaux-Arts de Liege Exposition Annuelle, published by Imprimerie Chaix, the printing house known for publishing the ...

Lithograph for Luigi Emilio Caldanzano’s Art Nouveau advertisement for Lenti Radio-Attive, which marketed “radioactive” eyeglass lenses claim...

Plate 37 from Alphonse Mucha's Figures Decoratives, a folio of forty color lithographic plates published by Librairie centrale des beaux-arts in 1905. Issued during a period of incr...

Jules Chéret’s poster advertising the Théâtre Optique (Optical Theatre) immortalized a momentous convergence of technology, culture, history, and art with the 1892 debut of Emile Reynaud’s praxinoscope at the Musée Grévin in Paris. Reynaud presented his Pantomimes Lumineuses, the world’s first animated films, using his innovative system which projected light through moving pictures to offer illuminated pantomimes. Among the three short films Reynaud screened through his praxinoscope was Pauvre Pierrot (Poor Pierrot), a story of Pierrot courting Columbine based on the timeless archetypal love triangle featured in many Commedia dell’arte pantomimes. As a member of the Cercle Funambulesque (roughly “Friends of the Tightrope-walkers”), a French society which championed the contemporary creation of Commedia dell-arte-inspired pantomimes, Jules Chéret was often inspired by Pierrot and produced a large number of works depicting him, often with his beloved Columbine. Cheret’s involvement with the Cercle, combined with the immense popularity of these archetypes in the late 19th century, meant that they appeared frequently in his works. This work comes from the extremely scarce edition of 25 strikes on Imperial Japon paper, a mulberry bark-based stock inspired by the smooth-surfaced papers used in Japanese printmaking. This world-class example of lithography captures superior resolution and color-richness to that of its large-format counterpart. The use of marbled Imperial Japon paper allows inks to rest upon its surface rather than being absorbed by a more porous paper stock. An extremely scarce fraction of the edition of 25 are estimated to have survived to date. Stone lithograph of Jules Chéret’s Musée Grévin...

Stone lithograph mandala plate of Hallowed Be Thy Name from Alphonse Mucha’s masterpiece of mysticism, Le Pater. Printed by F. Champenois, published by Henri Piazza in Paris in an edition of 510, 1899. “Le Pater is the perfect convergence of three important movements at the close of the 19th century: Art Nouveau, Mysticism, and Religion. Art Nouveau, through its respect and honor of Nature, promotes the idea of a spirit of energy coursing through all things–a tenet of Mysticism–that finds foundation in the traditions of Mucha's personal relationship with the imagery of Religion. Le Pater gave Mucha a venue to communicate his beliefs specifically through his unique approach to Art and the coded language he had been learning through his devotion to Masonic teachings. He combined the aesthetics of Medieval manuscripts with Moorish arabesques, Byzantine mandalas, and Classical Renaissance melodrama to create a body of work that guided viewers across the gap between the ancient and the modern. The published plates for Le Pater were struck by Champenois on December 20, 1899 in an edition of 510 copies with the express agreement that they never be reprinted. As much of Mucha's work had been commercialized by Champenois due to numerous printings across multiple mediums, by this point he felt he had earned the right to insist on this deeply personal work existing only in the original release he had envisioned. The title page, prayer plates, and illuminated manuscript pages...

Louis Rhead Jane Original lithograph Printed signature in the plate 1897/98 On vellum 40 x 31 cm (c. 16 x 12") INFORMATION : Published by 'Estampe Moderne, Paris, 1897-1899 and pri...

Marcel Lenoir Invocation à la Madone d'onyx vert Original lithograph Printed signature, as issued 1897/98 Printed on paper Vélin Size 40 x 31 cm (c. 1...

Maurice ELIOT Spring Original lithograph Plate signed 1897/98 Printed on paper Vélin Size 40 x 31 cm (c. 16 x 12") INFORMATION : Published by 'Estampe Moderne, Paris, 1897-1899 a...

Auguste François GORGUET (1862 - 1927) Night Andante Original lithograph Printed signature, as issued 1897/98 Printed on paper Vélin (wove) Size 40 x 31 cm (c. 16 x 12") INFORMAT...

Jules FLANDRIN The Hair Original lithograph 1897/98 On vellum 40 x 31 cm (c. 16 x 12") INFORMATION : Published by 'Estampe Moderne, Paris, 1897-1899 and printed by l'Imprimerie Cha...

Henry DETOUCHE In the Brambles Original lithograph Printed signature in the plate 1897/98 Printed on paper Vélin Size 40 x 31 cm (c. 16 x 12") INFORMATION : Published by 'Estampe...