The Passion of Collecting Academic Nudes

Join me as we explore my collection of Academic Nudes from the 18th, 19th, and Early 20th Centuries and serendipitous finds in the Museum, Art Auction, and Gallery world......examples from the Golden Age of the European Academie


Thursday, February 5, 2015

Unknown Artist - Detrurck (?) - Grand Prix de Rome - Late 19th Century - Intaglio Prints (Proofs) Standing Male Nudes

                                                                               *
These two beautiful prints of academic male nudes turned up recently in a gallery in Italy. They appear to be proof prints from the engraving competition of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Grand Prix de Rome circa 1892. They reminded me of the single print I have in my collection by Arthur Mayeur (1871-1934) which appeared in the 1896 exhibition. One of the prints had a handwritten notation: "A Monsieur Magimel souvenir de son ami Detrurck." So we can assume the artist's last name is Detrurck. Unforunately I could find no information on the artist. Enjoy.
                                          --------------------------------------------


Unknown Artists: Italian School Late 19th Century - Male Nudes

                                                                       *
Last night I was cruising around on eBay Italy and found two very nice late 19th century male nude studies on paper for sale. I grabbed them at the asking price. The seller did not list any identifying information regarding the artists and both appear to be unsigned. I cringe at the time it will take to get these out of Italy considering my last experience with Italian customs. It seems the bureaucratic wheels of Italian customs turn at a snails pace and require mounds of paperwork. I can't really blame them for wanting to protect their cultural heritage. Enjoy.
                                                  ----------------------------------------

Title: Male Nude - Seated
Artist: Unknown - Italian School
Materials: Pencil on Paper
Dated: Late 19th Century



Title: Male Nude Astride a Horse
Artist: Unknown - Italian School
Materials: Pencil on Paper
Dated: Late 19th Century

Louis-Marin Bonnet (1736-1793): Crayon Manner Print - Nude Ephebe - Study of a Nude Boy

                                                                       *
If you are on your toes these days there are occasions when you can buy some things which others think are junk and you know instinctively deep down inside your consciousness are in fact jewels in disguise. Several weeks go I was cruising eBay France when I saw what appeared to my eye to be an 18th Century "crayon manner" print of a nude Eromenos, but which was listed basically as a "junk" drawing. Drawings do not have "plate marks" my friends so I knew the listing description could not possibly match the reality of what my eyes were seeing, in this case, a "crayon manner" print. I grabbed that little print for a ridiculously low dollar amount and waited for it to arrive. Yesterday it arrived and needless to say the glass in the frame was shattered into multiple pieces but, fortunately, the print sustained no damage. It was, unfortunately, glued down to a cardboard backing. Undaunted, I took a knife and managed to remove the print from the backing without doing any damage. 18th century paper is pretty sturdy so luck was on my side. Needless to say, I now hold in my hands an 18th century "crayon manner" print by the French artist Louis-Marin Bonnet (1736-1793). He was a pupil of Jean-Charles Francois and composed hundreds of drawings and engravings. He maintained a studio-shop (selling his drawings and prints ) circa 1772 in Paris at the corner of Rue St. Jacques.
                                                 -------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------
Here are two additional examples of his "crayon manner" prints:
---------------------------------------