| Title: |
Chemin de Ronde (Expedition the Siege of Rome, Curved Walkway, Fortification) |
| Artist: |
Raffet, Denis Auguste (Paris, 1804 - Genoa, 1860) |
| Date: |
1859 |
| Medium: |
Original Lithograph |
| Publisher: |
Gihaut, Paris. |
| Printer: |
Auguste Bry, Paris. |
| Note: |
Denis Auguste Marie Raffet: One of France's
greatest lithographic artists of the early nineteenth century, Denis Auguste
Raffet began his artistic career as a wood turner and decorator of porcelain
in the studio of Cabanal. In 1824 he became a student at the Ecole des
Beaux Arts and studied lithography under both Gros and Charlet. He then
became an apprentice of Charlet for a period of five years. |
| |
Denis Auguste Raffet's first published lithographs date from
1826. During the following three decades he created almost eight hundred
original lithographs depicting figure studies, satirical subjects and
military scenes. It was in this latter category, however, where Denis Auguste Raffet
achieved his greatest fame and his portrayals of Napoleon are among the
finest created. One scholar writes, |
| |
"The nostalgia-laden Napoleonic imagery of
Raffet inspired many of his generation. 'Sublime' and 'genius' are
terms in which his talent and his work were described. Raffet's
heroism of subject and his powerful technique approach the realms
of high art." *
|
| |
From 1830 to 1837, Denis Auguste Raffet produced yearly 'Album
lithographiques' for the Paris publisher, Gihaut freres. Each album contained
twelve original lithographs and many dealt with the Napoleonic legend.
After 1837, Raffet traveled to the Crimea where he created many lithographs
detailing the life and military conflicts in that area. In his later years
he visited a number of European countries under the patronage of Prince
Demidoff. |
| Source: |
Chemin de Ronde hails from Denis Auguste Raffet's
last great set of original lithographs, Expedition et Siege de Rome.
In total he created thirty-six large lithographs for the set from 1850
to 1859. All were published in Paris by Gihaut and printed by Auguste
Bry. Each clearly shows his genius at depicting then contemporary events
and warfare. Raffet's lithographic art consists of superbly arranged compositions
and tonal effects which result in strong, emotional imagery. By means
of his masterful technique, his images of warfare take on a monumental
life of their own. Not surprisingly, many scholars have compared Raffet's
art to that of his great Romantic contemporary, Eugene Delacroix. His
lithographs inspired an entire generation of artists and writers (such
as Balzac) to explore his Romantic visions. |
| |
Raffet's original lithograph contains a description of
the scene printed under the image, it reads; "En charpente adosse aux
remparts ouvrage etabblis par les Romains pur la fusillade. Interieur de
la face droite du Bastion 7 (siege de Rome, Juin 1849)". A loose translation is;
The curved road, Framework fixed to the ramparts or fortification by the Romans
for the fusillade. Inside the right face of the Bastion 7. "Chemin
de ronde" depicts the constructin of the castle fortificatin (a walkway which
allowed defenders to patrol the tops of ramparts and would also protect them from the outside).
Museums that contain an original impression of "Chemin de Ronde" include, The National Gallery of Australia.
Accession No: NGA 87.1533.29, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Accession Number M22545, the Bibliotheque Nationale
de France No: De Vinck, 15787, the Allen Memorial Art Museum as well as other important institutions. |
| Note: |
The Siege of Rome forms an interesting
chapter in the history of France, in the Italian quest for unification
and in the history of the Papacy. In 1848 Pope Pius IX was driven from
Rome by forces seeking to unite the Italian states. A Roman Republic was
then formed under the famous revolutionary leaders, Garibaldi and Mazzini.
France was anything but sympathetic to the notion of a strong and united
Italy and formed a large army to invade Rome. After a determined resistance
Rome was captured by the French army in July of 1849, and the Pope returned
to resume his powers under the protection of French bayonets in April,
1850. The Papacy continued to rule Rome until June, 1871, when the modern
nation of Italy was formed. |
| Raisonne: |
H. Giacomelli, Raffet: Son Oeuvre Lithographique
et Ses Eaux-Fortes, Paris, Bureaux de la Gazette des Beaux-Arts, 1862. |
| |
Catalogue # 582. First state of two as published
in Paris in 1859 for the Expedition et Siege de Rome. Giacomelli
relates that first state impressions of these lithographs were printed
on China paper and pressed onto wove paper bearing both the full title
and the extra border lines. Second state impressions were also printed
upon China paper but laid onto a blank sheet of wove paper. |
| Reference: |
* Beatrice Farwell, The Charged Image: French
Lithographic Caricature, 1816 - 1848, Santa Barbara Museum of Art,
Santa Barbara, 1989, p. 139. |
| Size: |
7 3/8 X 15 (Sizes in inches are approximate,
height preceding width of plate-mark or image.) |
| |
Matted with 100% Archival Materials |
| Buy Now |
Price: $295.00 US |
| Condition: |
Printed upon thin China paper and impressed
onto another sheet of thick, wove paper as published in the first state.
Bearing slight foxing and staining within the upper image else a finely
printed impression and in good condition throughout. Signed in the stone
to the lower left, "Raffet San Donato, 15 janvier 1859". Chemin de
Ronde represents a prime example of the famous military art of Denis
Auguste Raffet. |
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