$75.00
This antique print is a rendition of Heva Coomans’ “Flower Vendor in Pompeii.” See history below. I believe this is a photogravure of a watercolor reproduction (perhaps amateur?) of Coomans’ original work–see closeups showing paint droplets and the grain on the print. When comparing this image to an image of Coomans’ original, small differences can be seen between the two, so this isn’t a copy of her work but rather a copy of a copy done by someone else. I estimate it dates from the early 1900s up to the 1920s. (Interesting fact: a copy of Coomans’ flower vendor was included in an 1800s edition of the Bible and identified as “Rebecca.”) It measures 17-7/8″ x 10-7/8″ and is in excellent antique condition; there’s a small area on the bottom right (see fifth image, bottom left) that appears to have been manually touched up–it has a slight sheen when held to the light a certain way; note that the left margin isn’t perfectly straight. A beautiful classically-inspired piece. Ready for framing.
Out of stock
HISTORY (from online sources): Heva Coomans (1860 – 1939) was a Belgian artist. She was born in Paris and died in New York. She was the daughter of Joseph Coomans (1816) – 1889), one of the most popular European painters with American collectors who became fascinated by the remains of ancient Pompeii during an 1857 visit while the city was being excavated. Heva’s sister Diana was also an artist. All three painted in a similar style, their body of work heavily concentrated on romantic portrayals of the original inhabitants of Pompeii before the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.
PHOTOGRAVURE: A photogravure is an image produced from a photographic negative transferred to a metal plate and etched in. The photographer’s negative is transferred onto a copper plate which is used to print or engrave the image with ink. The earliest forms of photogravure were developed by two original pioneers of photography itself, first Nicéphore Niépce in France in the 1820s, and later Henry Fox Talbot in England. Talbot, inventor of the calotype paper negative process, wanted to make paper prints that would not fade. He worked on his photomechanical process in the 1850s and patented it in 1852 (‘photographic engraving’) and 1858 (‘photoglyphic engraving’). Photogravure in its mature form was developed in 1878 by Czech painter Karel Klič, who built on Talbot’s research. This process, the one still in use today, is called the Talbot-Klič process. From the 1880s, the Talbot-Klič process was used commercially for very high quality reproductions of old master prints, excelling in capturing variations in tone. Photogravure practitioners, such as Peter Henry Emerson, brought the art to a high standard in the late 19th century.
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A WORD ABOUT VINTAGE: Our inventory consists of vintage or antique items which are more than 20 years old, usually used or pre-owned, unless marked “new old stock.” As such, there may be signs of wear and age, which we will disclose to the best of our ability. Nevertheless, we encourage you to carefully read the description and view the photos, especially when purchasing a gift. All items ship with tracking and insurance, and although we do not accept returns, we will offer a refund in case of breakage or damage during transit, upon receipt of sufficient proof.
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I purchased two items from this shop. They arrived surprisingly quickly, and it was evident that extreme care was taken to ensure they arrived safely. I greatly appreciate the attention and extra care when packaging up the items. How sad it would be to purchase an antique that has survived multiple generations, only to be destroyed by USPS! Thank you so much for a wonderful shopping experience!
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danicatheracecardriver –
Wonderful experience, meticulous packaging!
I purchased two items from this shop. They arrived surprisingly quickly, and it was evident that extreme care was taken to ensure they arrived safely. I greatly appreciate the attention and extra care when packaging up the items. How sad it would be to purchase an antique that has survived multiple generations, only to be destroyed by USPS! Thank you so much for a wonderful shopping experience!