Chez la Corsetiere
Jean-Emile Laboureur (1877-1943), Chez la Corsetiere, soft ground etching and drypoint, a color etching made with two plates, 1934, signed in pencil lower left, also titled and inscribed “epreuve d’essai (en couleur)” and “tire a 5 epreuves” lower margin by the artist. Reference: Sylvain Laboureur 494, first state (of 2). In excellent condition, printed on a cream wove paper with the watermark initials AMV. The full sheet with margins, 8 1/4 x 6, the sheet 11 x 8 3/4 inches, archival matting.
A fine impression of the rare first state, before additional definitional lines to the mirror and other areas were added. Printed in black and sanguine. Only 5 trial proofs of the first state were made, and only 22 impressions printed overall (although a larger edition may have been intended).
In this trial state this print has an experimental impressionistic quality which is quite affecting and effective; in the second state the composition was more straightforward and perhaps a bit less seductive.
$1250