Description

A decorative pair of French engravings that appear to be after Jean‑Baptiste Huet and engraved by Gilles Demarteau, the specialist of colour printing in the crayon manner. Each sheet is colour‑printed in sanguine and black to imitate chalk drawing, a technique associated with Demarteau, giving the images a soft Rococo charm. The subjects are titled on the plates as L’Amour et la colombe (Cupid with the dove) and L’Amour et le chien (Cupid with the dog). The lower margins also appear to note Huet as “Peintre du Roi” and Demarteau as engraver to the King, with plate numbers 401 and 402 visible. The prints are mounted on grey-green boards with ruled borders and housed in worn gilt wooden frames with old glass. Condition consistent with age: time toning, scattered foxing and minor marks to the sheets.