Jean Le Pautre etchings, ca. 1650-1750

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Summary

Creators:
Le Pautre, Jean, 1618-1682
Abstract:
This collection consists of 502 etchings after Le Pautre's own compositions, some published during his lifetime and some republished late. The etchings include historical, mythological, and biblical scenes, exterior and interior architecture, furniture, ornament, and trophies. From Theodore Besterman's collection.
Extent:
502.0 prints
Language:
Collection material is in French

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of 502 etchings after Le Pautre's own compositions, some published during his lifetime and some republished later. Most are undated; some bear dates of 1659, 1661, 1663, and 1667. They were sold by Le Pautre himself, Estienne Gantrel (1646-1706), Jacques Chereau le jeune (1688-1776), Jan Van der Bruggen (w.1649-1714), Nicolas Langlois (b.1640), François de Poilly le vieux (1622-1693), Pierre Mariette (103-1653), Pierre II Mariette (1634-1716, Jean Mariette (1654-1742), and by Le Blond (Christof le vieux, c.1600-1665; Christof le jeune, b.1639; and/or Jacob Christoph, 1667-1741), and Jollain (Gérard, d.1683; François, 1641-1704; and/or François-Gérard, 17th century). All are grouped in suites, usually six prints each, sometimes four, five, or twelve.

These designs would have been useful for painters, architects, sculptors, furniture-makers, carvers, and metalsmiths. Historical, mythological, and biblical scenes focus on Ovid's Metamorphoses and the story of Moses. Exterior architectural designs depict fountains, gardens, grottoes, and porte-cocheres. Interior architectural designs depict altars, tombs, terms, doors, paneling, chimneypieces, alcoves, and ceilings. Furniture designs depict vases, mirrors, tables, gueridons, frames, and cabinets. Pure ornament patterns include friezes of rinceaux and classical narrative scenes, panels, grotesques, and trophies.

These prints were part of the art books collection of Theodore Besterman.

Arrangement note

The collection is arranged in 10 series: Series I: Historical, mythological, and biblical scenes; Series II: Exterior architecture; Series III: Interior architecture - altars, tombs, terms, doors, paneling; Series IV: Interior architecture - Chimneypieces; Series V: Interior architecture - Alcoves; Series VI: Interior architecture - Ceilings; Series VII: Furniture; Series VIII: Ornament - Friezes; Series IX: Ornament - Panels; Series X: Trophies

Biographical / historical:

Theodore Besterman (1904-1976) was a well-known bibliographer, Lecturer in the University of London School of Librarianship, librarian, biographer and book collector.

Jean Le Pautre (1618-1682), the most important and imaginative ornament engraver of the seventeenth century, was born and died in Paris. He was the brother of Antoine (1614-1691), an architect, and the father of Jacques (d.1684) and Pierre (1648-1716). He began his career in a relative's joinery shop, for which he drew plans and ornaments. In 1640 he may have gone to Rome with Adam Philippon, head of the shop and Le Pautre's mentor. Le Pautre produced his first plate in 1643 and finally became a member of the French Academy in 1667. He created over 1500 prints, nearly all after his own compositions. He disseminated the full repertoire of the Louis XIV style across Europe. His extensive and versatile production included ornament (exterior and interior architecture, furniture for residences and churches, other decorative arts designs, and pure ornament); classical historical and biblical narrative scenes; portraits; broadsheets; business cards; and representations of festive occasions. His work was largely architectural or sculptural, for workers in wood or metal or paint, not usually for textiles. Much of his work was republished in 1751 by Charles Antoine Jombert in three folio volumes titled Oeuvres d'Architecture de Jean Le Pautre.

Acquisition information:
Acquired in 1983. Formerly owned by Theodore Besterman.
Physical location:
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Rules or conventions:
Graphic Materials

Access and use

Location of this collection:
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90049-1688, US
Contact:
(310) 440-7390
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