Félicien Rops, Nude, The Drill, 1880s, Etching

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Etching and drypoint on Japan paper, hand colored. Hand titled in pencil. "Etat définitif" also written in pencil, lower right. … Read more Etching and drypoint on Japan paper, hand colored. Hand titled in pencil. "Etat définitif" also written in pencil, lower right. Image dimension: 10x8 cm. Very good condition. Ref. Exsteems 771; Ramiro 147; Mascha 614. An incredibly scarce, hand-illuminated original intaglio print by Félicien Rops, La Vrille stands as a definitive example of the artist's razor-sharp subversion of late-19th-century Parisian popular theater and carnal symbolism. The composition is a direct, erotic parody of the acrobatic equilibrist and "iron jaw" acts that drew massive crowds to venues like the Cirque d'Hiver. Rops strips away the traditional circus ring, replacing the performers with raw, mythological archetypes. At the base of the axis, a muscular, bearded satyr lies flat on his back, using his upraised arms to support a massive wooden pole vertically in the air This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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