Auguste Raffet, Flying Sap Workers Waiting\., 1849, Lithograph

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Lithograph on paper, from the series depicting the Siege of Rome, Night of 11–12 June 1849. Published by Gihaut Frères, … Read more Lithograph on paper, from the series depicting the Siege of Rome, Night of 11–12 June 1849. Published by Gihaut Frères, Paris Signed in the plate. A superb military lithograph by Denis Auguste Marie Raffet, illustrating French combat engineers and infantrymen awaiting orders within a forward trench during the Siege of Rome in June 1849. Entitled Sape Volante ("Flying Sap"), the print records one of the most technically demanding operations of nineteenth-century siege warfare, in which troops advanced protective earthworks towards enemy fortifications under constant threat of artillery and rifle fire. The work forms part of Raffet's celebrated visual chronicle of the French expedition to Rome in 1849, during which French forces besieged the Roman Republic before restoring the temporal authority of Pope Pius IX. Unlike many military artists of his generation, Raffet avoided theatrical heroics, preferring authentic observation and documentary accuracy. His prints remain among the most important visual records of nineteenth-century French military campaigns and continue to be valued equally for their historical significance and artistic achievement. Condition: Good overall condition with a strong, well-preserved impression and excellent tonal richness. Minor age-related toning, scattered foxing, and light handling wear are present in the margins, consistent with the print's age. The image itself remains crisp, with well-defined detail throughout. 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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