Les Petites Marionnettes. Amazing French 1815 Paris Engraving. The little puppets. Costume Print.

About this Item

Line and stipple-engraving with what looks to be the original hand-colouring, 210 x 270 mm. (8 1/4 x 10 5/8 in) within indent. Very clean, on French MBM laid paper with grid pattern in the light and monogram watermark. A young boy street performer operates a marionnettes à la planchette, three jigging puppets threaded on a string attached to a wooden frame resting on the ground, the other end tied to his knee, so he can make them dance by moving his leg to vary the tension, whilst simultaneously playing a penny whistle and beating a tambour. He is watched by a gentleman with an elegant young lady on each arm, while another lady, standing with her back to us, watches from the other side. This plate was probably engraved by Gatine after Louis Marie Lanté, and is No. 84 from Le Bon Genre , a series of prints showing French social life and fashion in the early 19th century, Seller Inventory # 80456