Pair of 19th C. French Architectural Engravings of Place Vendôme
Custom Framed by J. Pocker & Son, NYC.
Each Frame Approx. 18.5" Wide x 16" High
Each Engraving Image Approx. 11 1/4" Wide x 8 3/4" High
A Magnificent Historical Pair.
Offered is a rare, museum-quality pair of authentic early 19th-century French architectural engravings depicting inverse perspectives of Paris's iconic Place Vendôme and its monumental Napoleonic column. Unified by identical, premier custom gallery framing, this diptych offers an extraordinary glimpse into the shifting political and artistic landscape of post-Revolutionary France.
Plate 1: The Napoleonic First Empire Impression (Circa 1806–1814)
Title: Vue de la Place Vendôme, et de la Colonne de S.M. Napoléon Empereur des Français et Roi d'Italie / Prise du côté de la Rue St. Honoré
The Masters: Rendered by the highly influential French neoclassic architect Jean-Nicolas-Louis Durand ("Durand del.") and executed by the celebrated master engraver Jean-François Janinet ("Janinet sculp").
History: Published on Boulevard Montmartre by the boutique print merchant Esnault, this plate bears the legal registration mark "Dep. à la Bib. Imp." (Deposited at the Imperial Library). This specific imprint definitively dates the strike to Napoleon Bonaparte’s reign, explicitly titling him as Emperor of the French and King of Italy.
Plate 2: The Bourbon Restoration Impression (Circa 1823)
Title: Vue de la Colonne de la Place Vendôme
History: Published during the post-Napoleonic era by Alexandre Tessier from his famous print house at 10 Rue Saint-Jacques. Tessier notably inherited the historic workshop and plates of the legendary Chéreau printmaking lineage. The lower-right margin features the authentic hand-inscribed legal copyright mark "Déposé", verifying its status as an official primary-run period impression.
Antique intaglio copperplate etchings/engravings on woven rag paper.
Both pieces are beautifully housed in coordinating, custom, upscale gold-leafed wood gallery frames featuring exquisite hand-wrapped archival matting with hand-drawn French ink accents.
The Reverse Features the Original Studio Label of J. Pocker & Son, the Historic Upper East Side New York Framing Institution Celebrated Since 1926 for Serving Elite Galleries, Designers, and Private Collections. Additionally, the Backing Retains the Official Collection Inventory Label (PA-57 TC10) From the Private Estate of David J. Bikoff, M.D., P.A., Adding Excellent Documentation and Provenance to the Piece. A Modern Auction/Estate Barcode Tracking Sticker is Also Present on the Backing Paper.
Both pieces are in very good antique condition, stable, and ready to immediately hang. Consistent with authentic, 200-year-old woven rag paper, the margins exhibit a light, uniform dusting of natural browning and character-rich foxing spots. The print lines are exceptionally crisp and showcase deep, rich black ink strikes with strong, clearly defined plate-mark indentations from the original manual copper printing press. The luxury gilt frames are structurally sound with only negligible, age-appropriate micro-scuffs and ready for hanging.
