Œuvres De David D'Angers - Médaillons - Liste Des Portraits Contenus Dans L'Ouvrage Abrantès (duchesse d') ... Willemin (H.X.). ... -
RA Collection: Book
Record number
07/3203
Imprint
Paris: Librairie Centrale Des Beaux-Arts. - A. Lévy, Libraire-Éditeur 13, Rue Lafayette, 13 -, 1881
Physical Description
[2] p., [125] pl.; 325 mm.
Contents
[T.p.] - [Plates].
Responsibility Note
Some plates are signed 'Procédé de A. Collas'. (This is probably the Achille Collas (1795-1859) portrayed on one of the medallions.) Almost all plates carry within the plate the name of David and that of the sitter.
References
J. de Caso, David d'Angers (1988); H.W. Janson and P. Fusco, The Romantics to Rodin [exhibition catalogue] (1980); G. Chesneau and C. Metzger, Les Oeuvres de David D'Angers (1934); H. Jouin, David d'Angers (2 v., 1878); R. David and E. About, Les Médaillons de David d'Angers (1867).
Summary Note
The date of publication is given on the title page, which appears to be the upper part of a paper cover. The title continues with a note, indicating that the work was published serially: 'L'Ouvrage se composera de 25 Livraisons renfermant chacune 5 Planches au prix de 2 fr. 50 il paraîtra une livraison tous les quinze jours.' The dates carried within most plates are those of the execution of the sculpture (they are often indistinct but appear to range from 1828 to 1838).
The plates show portrait-medallions by David d'Angers. Each is captioned with the name of the subject, usually with an indication of the reason for his or her celebrity. The persons shown include politicians, soldiers, scientists, philosophers, writers, engineers, lawyers and artists (Delacroix, Gericault, Gros, Delaroche, Ingres, Gerard, Pujol, Vernet, Johannot, Charlet, Friedrich, Stamman, Dannecker, Percier, Collas, Dupré). Most are French, but a few Britons and other western Europeans are included (e.g. Lady Morgan, Byron, Opie, Bowring, Brunel, Edwards, Pentland, Canning). Most subjects are shown in profile or in three-quarter view. David d'Angers specialised in portrait and commemorative sculpture; and he undertook this series in about 1828 as a contribution to a morally-inspiring national art and a tribute to the portrait-sculpture of ancient republicans.
Provenance
'Parts 1-24' were purchased for the Royal Academy's library in 1882 (see RA Annual Report for 1882, p. 43).
Binding Note
19th-century half brown morocco, marbled-papered boards; spine lettered 'Œuvres De D. D'Angers - Médaillons' and 'R.A.'
Sculpture - Bas-reliefs - Medallions - Portraits - France - History - 19th century
Celebrities - Artists - France - Europe - 19th century
Pictorial works - France - 19th century