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

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

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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.
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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

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

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Unknown Artist: Superb 19th Century Academic Study - Male Nude Holding a Book

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This superb example of 19th Century Academic painting popped up on eBay France this morning. It just takes my breath away at the craftsmanship and superb color management, not to mention the brush work. Too bad it is not signed. Enjoy!
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Otto Greiner (German, 1869-1916): Study of a Nude Boy

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Back just before Christmas a seller in Germany listed a pencil study by the German artist Otto Greiner (1869-1916) at what I considered to be a ridiculously "Buy-it-Now" low price. Needless to say that drawing disappeared into someone's collection in record time. Enjoy.
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HENRI GIES or GUIS ( 1881 - 1950 ): Academic Nude Studies of Male Youths

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I managed to add three additional drawings of academic nude studies from the Paris Academie Julian just before Christmas. They were listed at such ridiculously low prices that I could not resist adding them to my collection. Unfortunately, biographical information on the artist is sparse. That first drawing in red crayon is dated "December 1899...cours Lefebre - 3 heurs." Enjoy.
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Robert Jakob Bock 1896 - 1943: Various Drawings and Prints from the Artist's Estate

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A Berlin Gallery has listed various works, mainly drawings and prints, from the estate of Robert Jakob Bock (1896-1943). The seller lists the following biographical information regarding the artist:

" The artist was born in 1896 in Darmstadt and died in 1943 in Pirmasens.  He studied from 1916 on under Peter von Halm at the Munich academy.  Later he attended the master class of Franz von Stuck.  He crated several graphics for the publisher Hanfstaengl and his works can be found e.g. in the graphic collection of the museum Neue Pinakothek in Munich.  His main focus was drawings and graphics of nudes.  There he shows his masterly quality.  He participated in expositions of the artists association "jury-free" in Munich.  In 1943 his workshop in Munich was bombed and most of his works got destroyed.  Only few days later Bock died.  Through his early death and the destruction of most of his works, Bock nearly got forgotten and never received the appropriate recognition he would have deserved." Enjoy.
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