Nicolas Guérard I (c1648–1719)
“Après la Guerre la Paix” (aka “Almanach de Vilage”), 1700 (dating based on Duplessis’ catalogue, but note that the publisher was not at the inscribed address until 1715), showing a roulette with a globe at centre, surrounded by female personifications of Peace, Abundance (Abundantia), Pride (Superbia), War, Poverty and Humility, published (and engraved) by Nicolas Guérard in Paris.
Engraving on laid paper trimmed along the platemark and backed with a support sheet.
Size: (sheet) 28.2 x 18.8 cm.
Lettered on the framing edge: (upper edge) “APRES LA GUERRE LA PAIX”; (right edge) “APRES L'ADVERSITÉ LA PROSPERITÉ”; (lower edge) “APRES LA PAIX LA GUERRE”; (left edge) “APRES LA PROSPERITÉ L'ADVERSITÉ”.
Inscribed within and below the framing edge are lines of French text beginning at the upper centre: “Pour vivre en paix et sans tristesse/ L'Homme fut mis au plus beau des Jardins/ Ainsi la paix fut la premier hotesse/ D'Adam le premier des humains/ Mais it pecha se trop crédule père/ Et son peche causa ses maux et nos miseres." ([Google transl.] To live in peace and without sadness/ Man was put in the most beautiful of Gardens/ Thus peace was the first hostess/ Of Adam the first of humans/ But he sinned too credulous father/ And his sin caused his ills our miseries.)
Publication details and title inscribed along the lower framing edge: “á Paris Chez Nicolas Guerard Graveur, rue (ALMANACH DE VILAGE) Saint Jacque proche S.t Yve, à la Reine du Clergé.”
Documentary information about this print is offered by the National Library of France, Prints and Photography Department (BnF Gallica): https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8407504m.item
Hennin/Duplessis 6634 (M. Georges Duplessis 1882, “Inventaire de la collection d'estampes relatives à l'histoire de France léguée en 1863 à la Bibliothèque nationale par M. Michel Hennin,” vol. 2, Paris, H. Champion, p. 370, cat. no. 6634); IFF 50.
Condition: richly inked and well-printed impression trimmed along the platemark and laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.
I am selling this spectacular engraving showing a wheel of fortune representing a calendar of change taking a community from war to peace and back again as well as from prosperity to adversity and back again overseen by personifications of Peace, Abundance Pride, War, Poverty and Humility, for the total cost of AU$271 (currently US$199.68/EUR167.67/GBP149.54 at the time of this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.
If you are interested in purchasing this fascinating insight into an 18th century perception of cyclical changes to fortune and misfortune, please contact me (email@example.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.
This print has been sold