Henri Martin, Henri Martin, Dante Meets Beatrix, 1898, Original Lithograph, 1898, Lithograph

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Description

Henri-jean guillaume martin, aka henri martin (1860 - 1943)

dante rencontre béatrix / dante meets beatrix

original lithograph from the … Read more Henri-jean guillaume martin, aka henri martin (1860 - 1943)

dante rencontre béatrix / dante meets beatrix

original lithograph from the glorious portfolio "l'estampe moderne", issue #15 (july 1898)

on wove paper

year: 1898

size (sheet): 305 x 405 mm
size (image): 256 x 309 mm

monogrammed "em" and dated "98" on the plate, bottom left

blind stamp of the publisher, bottom right, out of the image

great condition: minor signs of age and handling
great colours
full margins (not cropped, not trimmed)

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about the collection (l'estampe moderne)

l'estampe moderne appeared in 1897-1899 as a series of 24 monthly fascicles, each containing 4 original lithographs, printed by parisian imprimerie champenois. Many accomplished european art nouveau painters contributed works to this publication, which contained only original prints invented and produced especially for this collection. The publication was edited by charles masson and h. Piazza. Each issue came in a paper cover bearing an original lithograph by alphonse mucha.
each lithograph was accompanied by a tissue containing the details (title of the artwork, name of the artist, etc.) and a short text by a well-known author who inspired the artist (this one being obviously a fragment from dante's divine comedy).
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about the artist

henri-jean guillaume "henri" martin (1860 – 1943) was a french painter. Elected to the académie des beaux-arts in 1917, he has been described as a prolific master whose work has touches of melancholy, dreaminess and mystery.

martin is known for his early 1920s work on the walls of the salle de l'assemblée générale, where the members of the conseil d'état meet in the palais-royal in paris. Other notable institutions that have featured his post-impressionist paintings in their halls through public procurement include the élysée palace, sorbonne, hôtel de ville de paris, palais de justice de paris and capitole de toulouse. The musée des beaux-arts de bordeaux and musée des augustins also have sizeable public collections.

his paintings sells at international auctions in new york and london up to well over 1 million usd.
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from the text on the tissue paper, by dante:

sous un voile blanc, couronnée d’olivier, m’apparaît une dame revêtue d’une robe couleur de flamme vive.
et mon esprit qui depuis si longtemps déjà n’avait, tremblant, éprouvé la stupeur que me causait sa présence,
sans davantage la reconnaître des yeux, par une vertu occulte qui d’elle émana, de l’ancien amour sentit la grande puissance.

original italian:

\.
sovra candido vel cinta d’uliva
donna m’apparve, sotto verde manto
vestita di color di fiamma viva.
e lo spirito mio, che già cotanto
tempo era stato ch’a la sua presenza
non era di stupor, tremando, affranto,
sanza de li occhi aver più conoscenza,
per occulta virtù che da lei mosse,
d’antico amor sentì la gran potenza\.

english translation:

over her snow-white veil with olive cinct
appeared a lady under a green mantle,
vested in colour of the living flame.
and my own spirit, that already now
so long a time had been, that in her presence
trembling with awe it had not stood abashed,
without more knowledge having by mine eyes,
through occult virtue that from her proceeded
of ancient love the mighty influence felt.

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important:

. The listing is for the original print, in the above mentioned very good / excellent condition.
. The original tissue paper introduction has some folds and tears, especially along the margins, and it will be given as is to the buyer as a gift for confirming the authenticity.
. The cover by mucha is shown as a reference: a high quality picture will be given on request and, eventually, it is possible to purchase the cover on another listing (same to the other three plates of the issue) this piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution See less