Le Pautre (Jean) Etchings, ca. 1650-1750

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Summary

Title:

Jean Le Pautre etchings

Dates:

ca. 1650-1750

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

Preferred citation:

Jean Le Pautre etchings, ca. 1650-1750. Getty Research Institute, Research Library, Accession no. P830001.

http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifap830001

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.

Processing information:

Anne-Marie Schaaf processed and rehoused this collection, removing all prints from acidic mats. The finding aid was completed in April 1996.

Physical location:

Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the catalog record for this collection. Click here for the access policy.

Rules or conventions:

Graphic Materials

Indexed terms

Subjects:: Architectural woodwork--France
Architecture--Details
Decoration and ornament, Baroque
Fireplaces
Fountains
Interior decoration--France
Paneling
Etchings--France--17th century
Etchings--France--18th century
Prints--France

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:: Finding aid prepared by Anne-Marie Schaaf.
Date Encoded:: This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2015-12-10T12:11-0800

Access and use

Restrictions:: Open for use by qualified researchers.
Terms of access:: Contact Library Rights and Reproductions.