FRENCHMEN. c1840.
[The Discussion]. 8 ¾”w x 12 ½”h on yellow sheet. Laid paper. Pen and ink. Soiled corners. Image very good.

Although a few caricatures had appeared during the previous 300 years, the caricature became a widely used form of poking fun at the upper classes and politicians in France (Daumier) and England (Punch magazine) in late 1700s and early 1800s. It quickly spread to America to such artists as Thomas Nash in the mid-to-late 1800s and to Al Hirschfeld and to Mort Drucker (MAD magazine) in the 1900s.

In this scene, a formally-attired gentleman stands quietly while the laborer leans on his shovel and sets forth his views on the world.

Obtained in rural Eastern France in the 1970s.

CHINA. Kramer. CHINA GIRL. 1856.
China Girl - Sycee Head Dress. 9” h x 6 ¼’ w oval on 8 ¾”w x 11 ½”h sheet. Published in Matthew Calbraith Perry, Narrative of the Expedition of an American squadron to the China Seas and Japan: Performed in the years 1852, 1853, and 1854, under the Command of Commodore M.C. Perry, United States Navy. Washington, DC: Government of the United States, 1856. Lower left of oval: From a Dage [daguerreotype] by E. Brown. Lower right of oval: P.S. Duval & Co, Phila. Bottom center: P. Kramer delt . Sepia tone. Foxing in the margins, not in the image; short closed tear in upper margin; creases; image in very good condition.

This image was drawn by Peter Kramer (1823-1907) from a daguerreotype by Eliphalet M. Brown, Jr. (1816-1886) and lithographed by P.S. Duval & Co.

In August of 1853, Commodore Perry departed Lew Chew (Ryukyu – Okinawa) for China. The first stop was in Macao where he took a house for an extended stay. This lithograph is a view of a Chinese girl with a Sycee [fine threads] head dress photographed during that visit.

JAPAN. Perry. CRUCIFIXION. 1856.
From an Original Japanese Drawing Obtained in Simoda. 6”w x 4”h on 11 ½”w x 8 ¼”h sheet.

Published in Narrative of the Expedition of an American squadron to the China Seas and Japan: Performed in the years 1852, 1853, and 1854, under the Command of Commodore M.C. Perry, United States Navy. Washington, DC: Government of the United States, 1856. Compiled by Francis L. Hawks. Original color. Image in very good condition. Upper left margin stained well away from the image.

Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794-1858) led a US government expedition hoping to open up trade with Japan, which had been in self-imposed isolation for nearly 200 years. The United States wanted to increase its trade routes in the Western Pacific and needed a coaling station for the new steam-powered ships of the US Navy. The illustrations, notes and journals kept by Perry and his officers were compiled by Francis L. Hawks and published in the Narrative.

This a chromolithograph of a Japanese crucifixion scene after an original Japanese drawing obtained in Shimoda (modern spelling). This facsimile of a Japanese picture is discussed in the Narrative when Commodore Perry is attending a dinner in Shimoda before his final departure from Japan. The drawing lead the group to discuss capital punishment in Japan. In the picture the man was tied to the cross; in another form of execution practiced in Japan the individual was nailed to a cross and speared.

SERIGRAPH. Williams. 1975.
[Face of a Woman.] On 19”w x 26”h sheet. Signed in pencil: [19]75 Richard D. Williams.

Limited edition serigraph, copy 30 of 35.

This serigraph is on Italian-made laid paper with watermark “Ingres Cover Fabriano”. This watermark appears on other prints in the 1970s. Fabriano Ingres was mold-made from a mixture of cotton and high alpha cellulose. “Ingres” has since been discontinued by Fabriano. The paper color is “crema”. The medium is ink.

A serigraph is a print made using a stencil process in which an image or design is superimposed on a very fine mesh screen and printing ink is squeezed onto the printing surface through the area of the screen that is not covered by the stencil. Serigraphy is silk screening. The word “serigraphy” was coined in the 1930s to differentiate the artistic application of screen printing from the industrial use of the process. "Serigraphy" is a combination word from the Latin word "Seri" (silk) and the Greek word "graphein" (to write or draw).

Serigraphs have a longer history, but became popular in modern art. Andy Warhol used the method in his artwork in the 1950s and 1960s. He is generally given credit for popularizing screen printing identified as serigraphy. His famous Marilyn Monroe prints were done using photo silk screening where his screens were prepared using a photographic process. Then different color inks were printed using a rubber squeegee to press the ink onto the paper through the screen.

Gibson, Charles Dana. GIBSON GIRL. 1898.
Head – English Girl. On 9 ¾”w x 13”h sheet. Lower left of sheet: Plate 22. Head – English Girl. Drawn by C.D. Gibson. Copyright, 1897, By Charles Scribner’s Sons. Excellent condition.

This is an original 1898 print of Charles Dana Gibson's 1897 drawing "Head—English Girl". It shows a classic Gibson Girl looking forlornly into the distance. Irene Langhorne (1873-1956) of Virginia married Gibson and became his first "Gibson Girl".

This print is from a limited edition art portfolio compiled by Charles Scribner's Sons in 1898 using prints from many famed artists of the era. These items were originally printed on cream stock and have been well preserved for the last 110 years.

Charles Dana Gibson (1867-1944) was born in Roxbury Massachusetts. He is one of the best known of the turn-of-the-century illustrators. His drawings of the beautiful, high society woman--the Gibson Girl, are perhaps the most recognizable images of the time. He was a master of pen and ink and did much of his work for Life and Collier’s magazines.

JAPAN. Brown. JAPANESE WOMEN. 1856.
Japanese Women, Simoda. Image 6”w x 9”h on 8 ½”w x 11 ½”h sheet.. Colored. Lower left: Dag by E. Brown, Jr. Lower right: T. Sinclair's lith. Phila. Probably drawn by Wilhelm Heine from a daguerreotype by Eliphalet M. Brown, Jr. (1816-1886) and lithographed by Thomas Sinclair Litho, Philadelphia. Foxing and staining in margins; image is very good.

This is an original lithographic plate from the official report of the Commodore Perry Expedition. This is one of the historic plates from this now rare set, printed in black, with two "tint colors" used to emphasize the two women.

Published in Matthew Calbraith Perry, Narrative of the Expedition of an American squadron to the China Seas and Japan: Performed in the years 1852, 1853, and 1854, under the Command of Commodore M.C. Perry, United States Navy. Washington, DC: Government of the United State, 1856.

Shimoda (modern spelling) is a seaport on Honshu, Japan. Commodore Perry visited this newly opened port in April, 1854. It appears that he was very much impressed with Shimoda and found much of it represented typical facets of Japanese culture and life. These were recorded in paintings by Heine. The Narrative describes Shimoda as a town of approximately 1,000 houses and 7,000 inhabitants located on a small island near the mouth Yedo Bay. While the town appeared to the expedition members to be impoverished and lacking significant trading facilities, they were impressed with its beauty and cleanliness.

TIME OUT FOR MUSIC. Noël. 1894.
[Time Out for Music]. Image 7 ¼: w x 10 ½”h on 9 ½”w x 11 ½”h stiff paper. Signed and dated lower right: Noël R 94. Pen and ink.

Two young men are shown playing musical instruments, one a flute and the other an accordion. The artist is not well known but must have been French based on the way he singed his name.

CHARCOAL PORTRAIT. 1879.
[Old Man with a Beard.] Signed “A Simon [more words and numbers not clear] 1879”.

On light blue-gray sheet 12 ¾” wide by 19 ½” high.

To view the signature and date scroll to the bottom of the pop-up image and click on the text.

POLITIQUE DES FEMMES. Gavarni. 1839-1840.
[Collection of Seven Lithographs of French Society]. Images are 7 ¼”w x 8 ¾”h. At top center on all: Politique des Femmes. At lower center on all except as noted: Par Gavarni. Gavarni’s name can also be seen in reverse on most of the images. The publisher is Banger at various addresses. The printer is d’Aubert & Cie. [Company]. The text verso includes the name of the newspaper, Le Charivari,in which the images were published. The date the image was drawn can be determined from numbers on some of the images. Very good condition.

"Elimination à huis Clos". Upper right: [Number] 1. Gavarni’s name can be seen in reverse on the image followed by the number 39.

"Protocoles." At lower left: Gavarni. Upper right: [Number] 9. Gavarni’s name can be seen in reverse on the image preceded by the number 39.

"Un Plenipotentiaire". Upper right: [Number] 12. Gavarni’s name can be seen in reverse on the image.

"Discussion du Budget". Upper right: [Number] 14. Gavarni’s name can be seen in reverse on the image.

"La paix a tout prix. Upper right: [Number] 15.

Abdication. Upper right: [Number] 16. Gavarni’s name can be seen in reverse on the left side of the image, and the number 40 can be seen at the right.

Le grand lever. Upper right: [Number] 18. The number 40 can be seen in reverse near the bottom center. Fold lines, one in the image.

Paul Gavarni was the nom de plume of Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier (born 1801 or 1804 in Paris; died 1866), a French caricaturist, water colorist and lithographer. He began life as an engineering draftsman, but turned his attention to caricature and began a series of lithographed sketches in which he portrayed the most striking characteristics, foibles and vices of the various classes of French society. He was first known for his amusing drawings of costumes, which appeared in La Mode. Most of his best work appeared in Le Charivari, an illustrated newspaper published in Paris from 1832 to 1937. The group offered here was published in Le Charivari. At first, Le Charivari published caricatures, political cartoons and reviews. However, in 1835 the government banned political caricature, and Le Charivari began publishing satires of everyday life.

Images of all may be seen by clicking on the thumbprint image at the right and scrolling to the bottom of the pop-up image.

UN COUPLET DE VAUDEVILLE. Gavarni. 1839.
[Collection of Five Lithographs of French Society]. Images are 7 ¼”w x 8 ¾”h. At top center on all: Un Couplet de Vaudeville [and a number]. At lower center on all: Par Gavarni. Gavarni’s name or initial can be seen in reverse on the image followed by the number "39", indicating the year he made the lithograph. At the lower right: Am Bureau du Charivari R. du Croissant 16, the publisher. At the left: Imp d’Aubert & Cie. [Company], the printer. The text verso includes the name of the newspaper, Le Charivari, in which the lithographs were published. Fold lines. Edges of margins irregular. Images in very good condition.

"Un Couplet de Vaudeville No. 1."

"Un Couplet de Vaudeville No. 2."

"Un Couplet de Vaudeville No. 3."

"Un Couplet de Vaudeville No. 4."

"Un Couplet de Vaudeville No. 6".

Paul Gavarni was the nom de plume of Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier (born 1801 or 1804 in Paris; died 1866), a French caricaturist, water colorist and lithographer. He began life as an engineering draftsman, but turned his attention to caricature and began a series of lithographed sketches, in which he portrayed the most striking characteristics, foibles and vices of the various classes of French society. He was first known for his amusing drawings of costumes, which appeared in La Mode. Most of his best work appeared in Le Charivari in which this group was published. Le Charivari was an illustrated newspaper published in Paris from 1832 to 1937. At first, Le Charivari published caricatures, political cartoons and reviews. However, in 1835 the government banned political caricature, and Le Charivari began publishing satires of everyday life.

Images of all may be seen by clicking on the thumbprint image at the right and scrolling to the bottom of the pop-up image.

WASH DAY. Noël. 1894.
[Wash Day at the River]. 7 ¼” w x 10 ½” h on 9 ¼” w x 11 ¼”h heavy paper. Signed and dated lower left: Noël R 94. Pen and ink.

The image depicts three kneeling women scrubbing clothes at the edge of a river or lake. Other women are shown in various poses in the background. The artist is not well known but must have been French based on the way he signed his name.

CAMDEN. White. 1722.
William Camden Clarenceux. Below title: Obijt Ao. D. 1623. Ætatis suæ LXXIII. Lower right of portrait: R. White Sculp. 7 ½”w x 11 ½”h. Uncolored.

Portrait of William Camden engraved by R. White and published in Edmund Gibson's translation of William Camden, Britannia: or a Chorographical Description of Great Britain and Ireland ... 2nd ed., (London: Awnsham Churchill, 1722). The Britannia was first published by the historian William Camden (1551-1623 in 1586.

William Camden held the honorary title of Clarenceux King of Arms during the period 1597-1623. The entry below the title indicates Camden died in 1623 at the age of 73.

WINFIELD SCOTT. Harper’s Weekly. 1861.
The Last Meeting between General Scott and the Cabinet. 9”w x 10”h on 11”w x 16”h sheet.

This is an engraving published in Harper’s Weekly: A Journal of Civilization. Vol. V. – No. 255. New York, Saturday, November 16, 1861.

Members of the cabinet are identified in the lower margin.

Winfield Scott was born in 1786 in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. In 1846 President James K. Polk and 60-year old General Winfield Scott came up with a new campaign to end the Mexican War. It involved an amphibious landing on the Gulf of Mexico at Vera Cruz followed by a quick thrust at Mexico City. In preparation for the Siege of Veracruz, Scott performed the first major amphibious landing in the history of the United States. Some 12,000 soldiers offloaded supplies, weapons and horses near the walled city. Included in the invading force were Robert E. Lee, George Meade, Ulysses S. Grant, and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. Their success at Vera Cruz opened the way for conquest of Mexico City, and Winfield Scott became an American national hero. He was Union General-in-Chief at the beginning of the Civil War. But, the 75-year-old Scott knew he was unable to go into battle himself. He was too large to mount or ride his horse. He offered the command of the US Army to Colonel Robert E. Lee, but Lee declined and instead, resigned from the US Army to serve the Confederacy. On November 1, 1861, after another Union battlefield defeat, Lincoln accepted General Scott's standing offer to resign. Thirty-five year-old George Brinton McClellan (1826-1885) succeeded Scott the same day.