Asperges et Radis – all four states, and the preliminary drawing

Asperges et Radii, engraving, state 4

Jean-Emile Laboureur (1877-1943), Asperges et Radis, engraving, 1928, impressions of each of the four states of the engraving, and the preliminary pencil drawing (in reverse, see illustration below). Each of the engravings signed and numbered, the drawing initialled and dated.  Reference: Sylvain Laboureur 384, four states, about 75 impressions printed in all four states, 35 in the edition in the fourth state. 7 x 9 1/2 inches, 165 x 225 mm.

Provenance: Henri Petiet, with his initials (HMP) stamp verso (not in Lugt) states 2 and 4.

The drawing is 6 1/4 x 9 1/8 inches, in pencil, in reverse. The drawing was reproduced in the Godefroy catalogue raisonne of the Laboureur prints, page. 29.

State 1: signed in pencil and numbered 4/7, in good condition, on a green wove paper.

State: 2: signed in pencil, numbered 2/8, with lines added to the bottles, under the radishes at left, above radishes on left, and shading lines aded throughout.  On cream wove paper, with the HMP stamp verso.

State 3: pencil signed, numbered 8/9, added shading behind asparagus at left, added strokes at bottom and under leaf at bottom.

State 4: signed and numbered 12/35, cream wove, with the monogram, some additional flecks of engraving on radishes, and outside shadowning; soft folds.

A fine set, all progress proofs and the drawing, for one of Laboureur’s iconic images.

$8500 set of 5

Asperges et Radi, the drawing for the engraving (in reverse)