Antique Master Print-CONVALLARIA MULTIFLORA-SOLOMON’S SEAL-le Grand-van Spaendonck-1820

Plate : ‘Iceau de Salomon – Convallaria multiflora L.’ (King Solomon’s Seal, David’s Harp, Ladder-to-Heaven).

Made by Pierre Francois le Grand after Gerard van Spaendonck.

Medium: handcoloured stipple engraving on hand laid (verge) paper.

Sheet size: 39.5 x 56.5 cm (15.55 x 22.24 inch). Image size: 35 x 50 cm. (13.78 x 19.69 inch).

Condition: good, given age. General age-related toning and/or occasional minor defects from handling. Please study scan carefully.

CONVALLARIA MULTIFLORA-SOLOMON’S SEAL | DP-A2-001-11

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Original antique master print. Origin: ‘Fleurs Dessinees d’apres Nature..’ (Flowers Drawn from Life) were published from 1799-1801, 24 stipple engravings of supreme quality destined to be a bible for would-be flower painters. Exact age of this ed. not known but based on the paper estimate 1820. Our definition of a Master Print is a seperately published print or series of prints, not being an illustrative print to a text. These can both be prints made by old masters (artists) or prints made by others (artists, engravers, etchers) after old masters. Artists and Engravers: Engraved by Le Grand after a painting by Van Spaendonck, in c.1810.

Biography engraver: Pierre Francois le Grand (b.1775-d.?)was a French engraver, who worked closely with Van Spaendonck on his ‘Fleurs Dessinees d’Apres Nature’.

Biography artist: Gerard van Spaendonck (1746-1822) was a Dutch painter, born in Tilburg, the son of Cornelis van Spaendonck, also an established painter. After studying under Herreyns, he moved to Paris and was appointed miniature painter in the court of Louis XVI. In 1780 he succeeded Madeleine Francoise Basseporte at professor of floral painting.