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Lot Essay
The album contains the following plates by Rembrandt bound in the following order:
NH. 158 III/IV, NH. 210 III/III, NH. 120 IV/V, NH 170 III/IV, NH. 240 VIII/IX, NH. 189 VIII/IX, NH. 224 II/II and copy b.II of the same, NH.167 IV/VI, NH. 128 III/IV, NH. 279 III/III, NH. 125 III/VI (lifetime), NH. 262 VII/IX, NH. 268 II/III, NH. 300 IX/XI, NH 184. IV/V, NH. 117 copy e.V, NH. 216 VI/IX, NH. 280 IV/V, NH. 277 (lifetime), NH. 138 II/IV, NH. 278 III/IV, NH. 281 (lifetime), NH. 302 IV/V, NH. 139 II/IV, NH. 127 IV/V, NH. 206 II/II, NH 159 I/III (lifetime), NH. 143 I/II (lifetime), NH. 286 III/IV, NH. 183 II/III, NH. 283 IV/V, NH. 186 III/IV, NH 312 V/VI, NH. 212 III/III, NH. 141 II/III, NH 190 II/II (lifetime), NH. 304 copy a, NH. 276 copy, NH. 9 copy a, NH 104W copy, B. 132 previously attributed to Rembrandt (not listed in New Hollstein), NH. 140 III/IV, NH. 263 II/IV, NH. 282 II/II, NH. 242 VI/IX, NH. 191 IV/IV, NH. 289 II/III, NH. 144 VI/VII, NH. 142 I/II (lifetime), NH. 165 III/IV, NH. 192 IV/VI, NH. 53 VI/VII, NH 48 III/III, NH. 266 II/III, NH. 229 IV/V, NH. 45 II/III (lifetime), NH. 178 II/II, NH. 110 II/III, NH. 193 III/V, NH. 49 III/IV, NH. 243 III/V, NH. 233 V/VIII, NH. 258 III/III, NH. 176 III/IV, NH. 234 II/III (lifetime), NH. 308 V/VI, NH. 309 I/II (lifetime), NH. 264 VIII/X, NH. 270 VI/VII, NH. 148 II/IV (lifetime), NH. 292 V/VI, NH. 301 XI/XII, NH. 236 V/VII, NH. 153 VIII/IX, NH. 306 VIII/IX, NH. 84 copy a, NH. 294 copy b.II, NH. 293 IV/V, NH. 251 III/V, NH. 57 IV/VI, B. 295 (by Ferdinand Bol, formerly attributed to Rembrandt), NH. 91 a.II, copy after/manner of Rembrandt, NH. 87 IV/VI, B. EL30 (School of Rembrandt), NH. 161 II/III, NH. 157 I/II (lifetime), NH. 205 copy by Basan, copy by Basan in the Manner of Rembrandt, copy by Basan in the Manner of Rembrandt, Pieter Rottermondt in the manner of Rembrandt, NH. 113 VII/IX, NH. 173 IV/V, NH. 119 VI/VIII, NH. 306 copy a.II.
In 1786 the Parisian printer and publisher Pierre-Francois Basan (1723-97) acquired around eighty etching plates by Rembrandt from the estate of his fellow Parisian dealer C.-H. Watelet (1718-1786). The so-called Basan receuil was first published in 1789 and constituted a landmark not only in the history of Rembrandt scholarship, but also in the development of the academic study of art. For the first time a volume containing an overview of Rembrandt's work printed from his own plates was available to the collecting public. It was, in many respects, the first illustrated catalogue of an artist's work. Such was its success that the receuil continued to be issued until 1846, first by Basan's sons Antoine-Simon-Ferdinand (1763/64-98) and Henry-Louis (d. before 1819), then by the Parisian publisher Auguste Jean (d. 1820), and finally, on his death, by his widow.
In his detailed study on the history of Rembrandt's copperplates, Eric Hinterding highlights the difficulty in dating individual receuils, citing variations in presentation, contents and paper types. There is, however, a gradual, yet discernible deterioration in the quality of later editions, caused by the wear to the plates from intensive printing.
This particular album is unusual in that the plates have been printed directly onto the sheet, a characteristic of the early receuils published by Pierre-Francois, as opposed to each plate being printed separately and then pasted individually into the album, a feature of subsequent editions. However, the inclusion of Henri-Louis Basan's title-page indicates a publication date on or after 1807, when Henri-Louis followed in his father's footsteps and began to publish the receuil under the same title.
That this album is one of Henri-Louis earlier editions is supported by the presence of Faust (NH. 270), in its original condition, before the plate was radically reworked, the original plate of The Death of the Virgin (NH. 173), replaced by a copy in later albums.
The superior quality of the receuil is consistent with Nowell-Usticke's assessment that 'The first albums published by Henri-Louis are very comparable to his father's receuils in both quality and the paper on which they are printed'.
NH. 158 III/IV, NH. 210 III/III, NH. 120 IV/V, NH 170 III/IV, NH. 240 VIII/IX, NH. 189 VIII/IX, NH. 224 II/II and copy b.II of the same, NH.167 IV/VI, NH. 128 III/IV, NH. 279 III/III, NH. 125 III/VI (lifetime), NH. 262 VII/IX, NH. 268 II/III, NH. 300 IX/XI, NH 184. IV/V, NH. 117 copy e.V, NH. 216 VI/IX, NH. 280 IV/V, NH. 277 (lifetime), NH. 138 II/IV, NH. 278 III/IV, NH. 281 (lifetime), NH. 302 IV/V, NH. 139 II/IV, NH. 127 IV/V, NH. 206 II/II, NH 159 I/III (lifetime), NH. 143 I/II (lifetime), NH. 286 III/IV, NH. 183 II/III, NH. 283 IV/V, NH. 186 III/IV, NH 312 V/VI, NH. 212 III/III, NH. 141 II/III, NH 190 II/II (lifetime), NH. 304 copy a, NH. 276 copy, NH. 9 copy a, NH 104W copy, B. 132 previously attributed to Rembrandt (not listed in New Hollstein), NH. 140 III/IV, NH. 263 II/IV, NH. 282 II/II, NH. 242 VI/IX, NH. 191 IV/IV, NH. 289 II/III, NH. 144 VI/VII, NH. 142 I/II (lifetime), NH. 165 III/IV, NH. 192 IV/VI, NH. 53 VI/VII, NH 48 III/III, NH. 266 II/III, NH. 229 IV/V, NH. 45 II/III (lifetime), NH. 178 II/II, NH. 110 II/III, NH. 193 III/V, NH. 49 III/IV, NH. 243 III/V, NH. 233 V/VIII, NH. 258 III/III, NH. 176 III/IV, NH. 234 II/III (lifetime), NH. 308 V/VI, NH. 309 I/II (lifetime), NH. 264 VIII/X, NH. 270 VI/VII, NH. 148 II/IV (lifetime), NH. 292 V/VI, NH. 301 XI/XII, NH. 236 V/VII, NH. 153 VIII/IX, NH. 306 VIII/IX, NH. 84 copy a, NH. 294 copy b.II, NH. 293 IV/V, NH. 251 III/V, NH. 57 IV/VI, B. 295 (by Ferdinand Bol, formerly attributed to Rembrandt), NH. 91 a.II, copy after/manner of Rembrandt, NH. 87 IV/VI, B. EL30 (School of Rembrandt), NH. 161 II/III, NH. 157 I/II (lifetime), NH. 205 copy by Basan, copy by Basan in the Manner of Rembrandt, copy by Basan in the Manner of Rembrandt, Pieter Rottermondt in the manner of Rembrandt, NH. 113 VII/IX, NH. 173 IV/V, NH. 119 VI/VIII, NH. 306 copy a.II.
In 1786 the Parisian printer and publisher Pierre-Francois Basan (1723-97) acquired around eighty etching plates by Rembrandt from the estate of his fellow Parisian dealer C.-H. Watelet (1718-1786). The so-called Basan receuil was first published in 1789 and constituted a landmark not only in the history of Rembrandt scholarship, but also in the development of the academic study of art. For the first time a volume containing an overview of Rembrandt's work printed from his own plates was available to the collecting public. It was, in many respects, the first illustrated catalogue of an artist's work. Such was its success that the receuil continued to be issued until 1846, first by Basan's sons Antoine-Simon-Ferdinand (1763/64-98) and Henry-Louis (d. before 1819), then by the Parisian publisher Auguste Jean (d. 1820), and finally, on his death, by his widow.
In his detailed study on the history of Rembrandt's copperplates, Eric Hinterding highlights the difficulty in dating individual receuils, citing variations in presentation, contents and paper types. There is, however, a gradual, yet discernible deterioration in the quality of later editions, caused by the wear to the plates from intensive printing.
This particular album is unusual in that the plates have been printed directly onto the sheet, a characteristic of the early receuils published by Pierre-Francois, as opposed to each plate being printed separately and then pasted individually into the album, a feature of subsequent editions. However, the inclusion of Henri-Louis Basan's title-page indicates a publication date on or after 1807, when Henri-Louis followed in his father's footsteps and began to publish the receuil under the same title.
That this album is one of Henri-Louis earlier editions is supported by the presence of Faust (NH. 270), in its original condition, before the plate was radically reworked, the original plate of The Death of the Virgin (NH. 173), replaced by a copy in later albums.
The superior quality of the receuil is consistent with Nowell-Usticke's assessment that 'The first albums published by Henri-Louis are very comparable to his father's receuils in both quality and the paper on which they are printed'.