Raphaël Drouart, The Awakening of the Fauns, 1920s, Etching

Details

Description

Raphaël Drouart (1884 1972)

Éveil des faunes
(The Awakening of the Fauns)

Original Etching on Paper
1920s

Size (overall): 330 … Read more Raphaël Drouart (1884 1972)

Éveil des faunes
(The Awakening of the Fauns)

Original Etching on Paper
1920s

Size (overall): 330 x 250 mm
Size (image): 236 x 178 mm
Hand Signed, lower right
Numbered 10/25, lower left

Edition of 25

On the bottom, hand titled: "Éveil des faunes"

Provenance
Collection Jacques Rodrigues-Henriquès

Literature
Published in:
Thierry Lefrançois, "Raphaël Drouart : 1884-1972 : catalogue complet de son oeuvre gravé", La Rochelle, Musée des Beaux-Arts, 1990

Condition:
Excellent (foxing and staining in the paper, but the central etched plate mark is crisp, and the ink impression of the figure and background is dark, rich, and clear with no smudging or fading)
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The Artist

Maurice Raphaël Drouart (1884-1972), was a versatile French painter, printmaker, and illustrator whose career bridged classical artistic training and the modernist movements of the early twentieth century. He initially studied painting under Fernand Cormon and engaged closely with the Nabis, notably working as an assistant to Maurice Denis on the ceiling of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

Drouart’s artistic trajectory was interrupted by the First World War, during which he spent over three years as a prisoner of war in Germany. Following his return, he mastered various printmaking techniques, eventually exhibiting his woodcuts, etchings, and lithographs widely. Throughout the 1920s, he gained renown as a book and art illustrator, collaborating with publishers like Arthur Goldscheider and participating in the landmark 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts. Appointed a knight of the Legion of Honour in 1938, Drouart passed away in 1972.
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The Collector

Jacques Rodrigues-Henriquès (1886–1968) was a prominent French art dealer and expert who operated a gallery on Rue Bonaparte and managed the artistic legacy of his stepfather, Félix Vallotton. Positioned within the powerful Bernheim-Jeune family and collaborating with critic Félix Fénéon, he shaped the European market for early 20th-century modern art by exhibiting works from major figures like Pierre Bonnard, Paul Signac, Georges Seurat, and Maximilien Luce.
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Raphaël Drouart’s etching Éveil des faunes presents a mystical, primeval scene where mythical woodland creatures rouse at dawn. In the foreground, the fauns are depicted with wild, elongated anatomy; one sits low, playing a rustic pan flute, while others stretch dynamically after a long slumber.

The composition is heavily framed by dense, dark foliage, utilising a deep chiaroscuro texture that strongly mirrors the dramatic printmaking style of Gustave Doré. This dense black border creates a natural spotlight in the center, revealing distant, ethereal nymphs dancing in the morning light—a thematic motif reminiscent of Claude Debussy's music, especially his masterpiece Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.

Most striking is the figure in the top right. Rather than a purely pagan beast, Drouart designs this faun with an unmistakable Christ-like imagery. with arms raised high, hands open toward the sky, and an elongated, muscular torso, the pose powerfully evokes a classical crucifixion or resurrection stance. This blending of pagan folklore with Christian iconography gives the print a complex Symbolist layer, merging the wild awakening of nature with a profound sense of spiritual resurrection. This piece has an attribution mark,
I am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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