19thC.  French school / Barbizon Landscapes

Charles-Francois Daubigny       Charles Meyron      Adolphe Appian       Maxim lalanne      Henri-Joseph Harpignies    Camille Corot

Adolphe Appian (Lyon 1818- Lyon 1898)
Real name: Jacques Barthélemy

Appian was one of the outstanding landscape painters of the 19th century in Lyon. He was also an excellent etcher who was extremely sensitive to light and atmosphere. He was able to create a mood with line and by carefully leaving a fine layer of ink on the surface of the copper plate which prints as pale tone.

Adolphe Appian studied at the École de Dessin et Beaux-Arts in Lyon, where he was taught by Jean-Michel Grobon (1770-1853). In 1851 he debuted at the Salon of Lyon with three paintings. In 1852 he moved to Crémieu, where he painted the region. He befriended Corot and Daubigny and they influenced his work. 1854 he made his first excursion to the forest of Fontainebleau, In 1861 Appian settled in Creys, located twenty-five kilometres from Crémieu and ten kilometres from Morestel. In 1863 he became an active member of the new Société des Aquafortistes founded by Alfred Cadart in 1862.F. In 1866 the two works he exhibited in Paris were bought by Napoleon III and by princess Mathilde. From 1871 until the early nineties he often visited the Mediterranean coast.

Appian is one of the regional artists who showed their territory with love and grace. Besides his paintings he made 76 etchings and 4 litho. Appian was one of the artists  closely followed by the publisher Cadart who's merit it was to publish their genius graphical work. Appian was responsible together with Corot and Daubigny for the renewal of the etching in the middle of the 19th century.

The great esteem for his work was boosted by Atherton Curtis for Paul Prouté who published his catalogue raisonné in 1968.
He based his catalogue on that one of H. Jennings published in the Print Collector's Quarterly" from February 1925


The earliest etching by Appian

L'ETANG DE FRIGNON
 (Jennings 1, Prouté 1 ( I - II / III )

This is first plate published by Appian and it is in his early style.It is an early state already with the title (II) but without ( before?)  the address of  printer Delâtre on the right.In the last state ( III) the title was erased).

The lake of Frignon is situated in Creys were Appian settled in 1861.The print was soon after published in the "Gazette des Beaux-arts" in 1862.

23 by 15 cm, Impression in a full sheet with 10 cm margins.


This print is sold!
 
 


A group of excellent impressions in final state


RUE DU VILLAGE D'ARTEMARE (AIN) AUTOMNE 1871
Un soir a Artemare
( J.29, P.33 )

Appian discovered the village of Artemare in 1871 and stayed there for several months. This is one of two autumnal street scenes in Artemar etched in 1871.
This print was exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1874. According to Leipnik (1924) Appian 'did noting of note until 1872, when this brilliant landscape caused a sensation.


This print is sold!

CABANES DE PÊCHEURS SUR LES CÔTES D'ITALIE 1876
( J.37, P.42 )


This print is sold!

 

BORDS DU RUISSEAU A ROSSILLION (AIN) 1867
( J.21, P.24 )

Another echo of Appian's earliest style.
Appian stayed in Rossillon in 1866 and 1867.

This print is sold!

SOUVENIR 1864
( J.9, P.10 )
Unusual composition for Appian, as it lacks movement. The eye remains fixed on the centre, with the small windmill balancing the boat on the other side. Circa 1864

CHEMIN DE L'ETANG DE FRIGNON (ISERE) 1877
( J.40, P.45 )

A winter scene


Measures between 10-13,50  by 19-24 cm, Excellent impressions with nice plate tone on laid paper. In a sheet with 1 cm margins.
 
   

Large etching of the sources of the Albertine

LES SOURCES DE L'ALBARINE (AIN) 1870
( J.26, P.29 V/V )

Etched after the painting exhibited in the 1870 Paris Salon with the title Source de L'Albarine en Automne. Appian e'xhibited the print in the 1872 Paris Salon.
 

This is a very large print for Appian.
37 by 20 cm on plate border.
With full plate border and 1 cm margins.

 
 


A view on the Italian coast

UNE NORIA A BORDIQUIER (ITALIE) 1873
( J.33, P.37 )

Exhibited in the Paris Salon.
This is a very unusual subject for Appian, but it is, nonetheless, a strong image.
Bordighera is on the Italian coast between Monaco and San Remo

This is a larger print.
29 by 20,5 cm on plate border.
With full plate border and 1 cm margins.
 


A rare first state!

MARAIS DE LA BURBANCHE (AIN) 1868
( J.23, P.26 )

Etched after the painting exhibited in the 1868 Salon with the title "Temps gris; Marias de la Burbanche (AIN). Appian exhibited the print at the 1869¨Paris Salon.

"One of the loviest and most perfect bits of quiet landscape of a melancholy kind I ever met with. Nothing can be more harmonious than this etching; it affects the mind like music." (Comment of Hammerton in 1880)

This first state before the letter (publishers addresses) was acquired from the famous Paris print seller Prouté in 1904, ancestor of Paul Prouté who wrote his catalogue in 1968. A rare valuable state of this excellent work.


23,50 by 13,5 cm on plate border.
In a full sheet with 10 cm margins.

 
 


Splendid etching from the Cote D'Azur  in early impression


CANAL AUX MARTIQUES 1875
( J.41, P.36 II / IV )

Appian visited Martiques (Bouches-Du-Rhône) in 1874 and returned many times.
A painting with this subject was presented at the Salon in 1875 and the etching was presented in 1877.
This second state was published in "L'iIllustration Nouvelle" in 1878.

16 by 24 cm on plate border.
In a full sheet of watermarked laid paper with 10 cm margins.


This print is sold!

 
 

 

You can access larger images by clicking on the thumbnails.
Contact me for prices and availability before purchase.

Below you can access detail images to see the quality of these works.

 

Back to French school inventory

Back to item inventory