Félicien Rops, Nude, Pearl of Alabaceyn (Or Spain of the Schoolboys), 1880s, Etching

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Héliogravure, etching and drypoint on Japan paper. Titled in pencil, not signed as issued. The title references the Albayzín (traditionally … Read more Héliogravure, etching and drypoint on Japan paper. Titled in pencil, not signed as issued. The title references the Albayzín (traditionally spelled Alabaceyn or Albaicín in old French/Spanish contexts), the famous medieval Moorish and Gypsy quarter of Granada, Spain. The "Exotic" Temptress: During the 19th-century Decadent movement, artists were obsessed with "Spanishness" (Espagnolisme), associating Andalusian culture and gitana dancers with raw, untamed passion, music, and uninhibited sexuality. The Irony of the Subtitle: By adding the subtitle "L'Espagne des collégiens" (The Schoolboys' Spain), Rops directly mocked the hormonal fantasies of young schoolboys who imagined Spain as a land of wild, unclad tambourine dancers waiting to seduce them. It subverts the high-literary Romantic idealization of Spain into a crude, comedic caricature of teenage lust Rare, and in very good condition. 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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