BRITISH IMPRESSIONIST Signed ~ THEODORE ROUSSEL ~ c.1900 Etching MUSEUM QUALITY

Description: An original drypoint by French born British Impressionist etcher Theodore Roussel (1847–1926). This drypoint with surface tone is a portrait of his mistress and model, Hetty Pettigrew, well known as a model for James McNeill Whistler. The image is printed on thin cream colored wove paper with margins trimmed leaving only a signature tab, a habit that Roussel acquired from his friend and mentor, Whistler. The plate measures 6 5/8 x 4 1/4 inches plus another 1/4 inch for the signature tab. It is signed in the plate and in pencil on the tab "Theodore Roussel Imp." Print is in excellent original condition, catalogue raisonné reference is: Hausberg #60. The British Museum has a canceled version of this print in their permanent collection:https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1931-0114-8 Theodore Casimir Roussel (1847–1926) was a French-born English painter and graphic artist, best known for his landscapes and genre scenes. He came to painting late, in 1872, after his military service had ended, and he was entirely self-taught. His earliest works were scenes of daily life, rendered in the style of the Old Masters. In 1878, he moved to London and, two years later, married the widow Frances Amelia Smithson Bull (1844–1909). In 1885, he met James McNeill Whistler, who became a lifelong friend and mentor. Two years later, he made a sensational début at an exhibition held by the New English Art Club when he presented "The Reading Girl", a life-size nude. The public response was expressed by a reviewer from The Spectator, who wrote: "...it is Realism of the worst kind: The eye of the artist sees only the vulgar appearance of his model, making it blunt and crude...". In career terms, however, the notoriety was more beneficial than otherwise. Later, Sir William Orpen would declare it to be the best nude of the period. His model was Hetty Pettigrew, she and her sisters Rose and Lily were popular and well-paid models who worked for Whistler, William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais and others. Hetty became Roussel's mistress and gave him a child but, when his wife died, he instead married Arthur Melville's widow, Ethel. Not long after the notorious exhibition, he acquired a home in Parsons Green and spent most of his time painting atmospheric landscapes, usually featuring the Thames. At this time, he also learned the techniques of etching and drypoint from Whistler, and he is considered one of the pioneers of color etching in England. He often took part in the exhibitions of the Royal Society of British Artists and the Royal Scottish Academy. In 1908, he was a founding member of the Allied Artists' Association.

Price: 485 USD

Location: Spring Hill, Florida

End Time: 2024-09-08T00:29:56.000Z

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