Rest on the Flight into Egypt - Heliogravure by Amand-Durand, after Martin Schongauer, 19th century.

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Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Engraver and publisher: Charles Amand-Durand (1831-1905) - French artist
Designer and artist: after Martin … Read more Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Engraver and publisher: Charles Amand-Durand (1831-1905) - French artist
Designer and artist: after Martin Schongauer (German, Colmar ca. 1435/50–1491 Breisach)
Technique: Heliogravure Etching - etched on a copper plate and printed as an ordinary etching in the standard way using damp paper and a traditional etching press.
Image size: 24.8 × 16.5 cms.
Paper size: 34.2 × 23.9 cm
Condition: good

Amand-Durand. Talented engraver and painter Amand Durand is recognized and praised for accomplishing the difficult task of renewing original copper plate designs made by Rembrandt; it is by Amand that many of Rembrandt's works were saved. He also restored plates by Drurer, Beham, and other various Old Masters from the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. The task started when the main curator of the Louvre gave Amand Durand the important mission of restoring the worn down and fragile engravings made by Rembrandt. It would take six months to imprint the engraving on the copper plate with accuracy of 1/1000mm. Amand Durand took the liberty of making the copper plates after the original designs instead of the embellished and mortified pieces made after his death. The process for making the cooper plates entailed using valuable materials in the process: silver, amalgam, steel, mercury, copper and asphalt from Death Sea. These materials were then exposed to the action of an electric lamp in order to obtain the same incisions as the ones made by Rembrandt. But because this method could have been also used to print money bills, the municipality of Paris decided to ban it, shortly after Amand Durand made the first impressions after Rembrandt. The difference between the original engravings and these is the quality of paper used by Durand. It is of extremely high quality and therefore would preserve the plates from acidity, which was common in older paper. Even Theo van Gogh (Brother of Vincent van Gogh) would often remark how he wished he had bought some of these prints by Durand. With the help of Durand the images are saved to this day.

Martin Schongauer 1445 - 1491 was one of the most prolific early engravers from the Rhine Valley. He signed all his prints with his initials, making him the first printmaker whose authorship was absolutely clear. While a handful of the artist's paintings survive, Schongauer's engravings inspired generations of artists, including Albrecht Dürer. See less