Jacques SALY Complete Set of 31 Fantastical Etchings 1746 (elsewhere $15k)

Description: Jacques-François-Joseph Saly (1717 - 1776) Complete Set of Vases (30 etchings w frontispiece) 1746 Etchings printed on laid paper, all signed 'J. Saly Inv. et Sculpt.' with an additional frontispiece lettered with a Latin dedication from Saly to J.-F. de Troy An exceptional example of the decorative imagination. This influential suite of designs for urns and vases exemplifies a form of ornamental play that was prevalent in the mid-18th century. Designers would propose hypothetical forms that skirted edge of feasibility. Saly, a sculptor by training, was a student at the French Academy in Rome from 1740 to 1746, at which time he published this set of 30 etchings (plus a frontispiece). Saly began with basic antique vase forms but deviated from classical ornament to use a rich variety of fantastic creatures for embellishment. These are very rare on the market as a complete set. A group of four of the prints sold at auction with Sothebys with an estimate for 1,000-2,000 pounds in October 2023. Another complete set is currently for sale at the London-based dealer Thomas Heneage for 12,500 pounds/$15,500. (See final photo for screenshot.) Copies are held in many major museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert, among others. Plates 5 x 7.5 inches Sheets: 8 x 13 inches. Full margins in fine condition. Occasional faint discoloration in margins and two with very faint partial decorative designs in red in margins. Each laid down on a larger sheet of laid paper (14 x 21 inches). Larger sheets have some cockling that does not affect the actual prints. Additional photos available by request.

Price: 5000 USD

Location: South Hadley, Massachusetts

End Time: 2025-01-30T18:06:20.000Z

Shipping Cost: 15 USD