Nicolas-Bernard Lépicié

Attention to aesthetes and collectors of historical rarities. This exceptional lot brings together 5 original graphic art works from the 18th and 19th centuries. Far more than mere prints, this ensemble is distinguished by its fascinating provenance marks and era secrets hidden on the back of the frames, offering a unique journey through the Ancien Régime, Parisian satire, and grand maritime explorations. Here is the detailed analysis of the pieces in this collection: 1. The Secret Duo of the Ancien Régime: “The Sleep” & its colored pendant (18th century) • Works: A magnificent mirrored pair of gallant scenes. One is a fine black-and-white engraving titled “The Sleep,” the other is a delicately color-enhanced eighteenth-century watercolour version depicting “Ah! The pretty little dog.” • Signatures: They bear the mark of Buldet, the cult master print dealer established on Rue de Gesvres in Paris during Louis XVI’s reign. • History Secret on the Back: The centerpiece of the lot’s authenticity, the reverse of one frame is entirely lined with a genuine 18th-century gazette/official journal. This period document, miraculously preserved, details the Parliament’s arrêtés and explicitly mentions the king’s bread ordinances. A raw, moving historical testimony that will fascinate archival enthusiasts. • Dimensions: ~30 x 25 cm. 2. The Court Print: “The Rest” – A Tribute to High Nobility (18th century) • The Work: A masterful academic engraving in burin showing a old shepherd with a staff watching over a sleeping child. • The Creators: Originally drawn by Nicolas-Bernard Lépicié (official painter to King Louis XV) and engraved by the illustrious Charles-Clément Bervic, one of the greatest French burinists of his time. • Prestige Marks: The lower margin opens to a solemn dedication addressed to “Madame the Countess of Brancas” by her “very humble and very obedient Servant Lépicié.” It is centered by a sumptuous double-armorial crest representing the arms of the French high nobility of the Ancien Régime. • Dimensions: ~42 x 34 cm. 3. The Worldly Satire: “The Literary Society” – The Supreme Court of Taste (circa 1815) • The Work: A rare and colorful Parisian caricature from the First Empire / Restoration era, ironizing the intellectual salons of high society. It is Plate no. 13 of the celebrated satirical series “Le Suprême Bon Ton.” • The Publisher: Signed at the bottom “A Paris chez Martinet, libraire, Rue du Coq St Honoré,” the most prestigious address for satirical image trade under Napoleon I and Louis XVIII. • Dimensions: Certified measures of 38 x 46 cm, presented in its original gilded plaster frame. 4. The Exploration Treasure: Portrait of “O-HEDIDEE” (Captain Cook’s Second Voyage, 1778) • The Work: Portrait of a young man from the island of “Bolabola” (Bora Bora, French Polynesia). It is one of the earliest Western representations of Pacific peoples. • The Creators: Engraved by J. Caldwall after the legendary on-site drawings by William Hodges, the official painter who accompanied Captain Cook. The print bears the workshop notation “Benard Direx” (Plate 37). • The Secret on the Back: The sheet (mounted on a backing board) bears on the verso handwritten period annotations in ink, tracing the exact origin of the piece: “Voyage to the Otaheiti… Jacques Cook. Paris 1778.” An impeccable provenance that will excite mapmaking and ethnography collectors. • Dimensions: Sheet about ~26 x 20 cm. Condition: The lot is presented in a beautiful aesthetic state, “as found.” The eighteenth-century rag paper shows light foxing and natural oxidation areas that act as a true identity card, certifying these works have crossed centuries without modern restorations. The wooden and gilded stucco frames carry the authentic patina of old houses. External dimensions of the frames range from 26 x 20 cm for the smallest sheet (Cook) to 38 x 46 cm for the largest frame (Martinet). A lot of remarkable historical richness, ideal for investment, to enrich a dealer’s cabinet, or to adorn a high-end interior.

Estimate:$167.6

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