['peint par Eisen Père - Gravé par L. Halbou.]
[A Paris chés Basan Graveur n.d., c.1760.]
Rare engraving, proof before letters, sheet 455 x 335mm. 18 x 13¼". Trimmed to plate.
This scene was painted with a companion "Les dragons de Vénus". Three figures framed by a carved masonry or wooden border. A latter-day cupid, a portly young male with bow and quiver of arrows over his shoulder perched on the lintel, talks to two young ladies, earnestly entreating them for more wine from the bottle that one lady holds. This cupid seems already somewhat inebriated, and the woman holds the bottle away from his outstretched hand, while he holds up an empty glass in his left hand. A potted vine laden with grapes grows against the left side of the frame, while an arrow pierces a heart lower right. Painted by François Eisen, engraved by Louis Michel Halbou and published by Pierre François Basan, this appears to be a rare engraving: according to their website catalogue the Bibliothèque nationale de France hold only a photomechanical reproduction of this image.
See La BNF: FRBNF40914125.
[Ref: 17714]  £480.00