Félicien Rops, Nude, Exaggerated Courtesy, 1880s, Etching

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Etching, drypoint and soft-ground (vernis mou) printed in sanguine ink on Japan paper. Most probably 3rd state on 7. Not … Read more Etching, drypoint and soft-ground (vernis mou) printed in sanguine ink on Japan paper. Most probably 3rd state on 7. Not signed nor numbered, as issued. Ref. Masca 610; Ramiro 143. A rare, highly provocative, and beautifully executed original intaglio print by Félicien Rops, a defining figure of late 19th-century Parisian fin-de-siècle Decadence. Celebrated by contemporary writers like Charles Baudelaire and Joris-Karl Huysmans, Rops specialized in blending extreme technical precision with subversive, darkly satirical eroticism. Titled Courtoisie exagérée, this piece offers a sharp, satirical twist on the classical Rococo "Satyrs and Nymphs" motif pioneered by 18th-century French masters. Rops transforms the conventional scene of mythic abduction into a biting commentary on the violent, animalistic nature beneath polite high-society courtship. The title itself ("Exaggerated Courtesy") functions as pure black humor, contrasting the savage physical grip of the satyr with the mock etiquette of a gentleman. Condition: A rich, crisp impression with well-defined lines and clean wiping of the plate tone. The delicate soft-ground and drypoint markings across the central figure and the marginal remarques show no signs of plate wear. 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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