Augustin Amant Constant Fidele Edouart

A set of ten full-length cut-out silhouettes on a lithographic base, 1831, each signed and dated Augt Edouart fecit 1831 in brown ink, some with the sitter's name verso, occasionally with a lithographic composition on verso, on stiff wove card

The images printed to the edges of the sheet (some possibly reduced just to the image), four silhouettes with severe uneven light- and backboard-staining, others with slight light-staining and backboard-staining, occasional pale scattered foxing, occasional slight skinning in image, each framed. Portrait of Duc de Blacas: pale scattered foxing in image, backboard-staining (examined out of frame) Portrait of Duc de Polignac: occasional fox marks (unexamined out of frame) Portrait of Marquis Barbançois: with pale scattered foxing (unexamined out of frame) Portrait of Comte Auguste Agard de Maupas: very occasional pale fox marks, slight light-staining and backboard-staining (examined out of frame) Portrait of Cardinal Latil: severe light-staining Portrait of Baron de Damas: with light- and backboard-staining, silght skinning in image, uneven paper discoloration (examined out of frame) Portrait of Baron de Capelle: pale scattered foxing (unexamined out of frame) Portrait of Monsieur de Barrande: Light- and backboard-staining, uneven paper discoloration, a lithographic composition verso with sitter's name and number in series in pencil (examined out of frame) Portrait of Comte de Lamartine: severe light-staining (unexamined out of frame) Portrait of Marquis de Fabertian (?): pale scattered foxing (unexamined out of frame)
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Augustin Edouart was one of the most famous silhouette artists of the nineteenth century. From 1825, he developed the art of silhouette portraits, taking full-length likenesses in profile by cutting out black paper with scissors. His sitters included the exiled French royal family of Charles X, including the Duchesse de Berry, whom he accompanied to Scotland in 1829.

This collection of silhouettes includes the portraits of the royalist supporters of the Duchesse de Berry, including: the Duc de Blacas (1771-1839), Duc de Polignac (1780-1847), Marquis de Barbançois (1760-1822), Marquis de Fabertian (?), Comte Auguste Agard de Maupas (1786-1862), Cardinal Latil (1761-1839), Baron de Damas (1785-1862), Baron de Capelle (1775-1843), Monsieur de Barrande (1799-1883) and Comte de Lamartine (1790-1869),

This work marks an interesting historical moment as well as a popular artistic style much enjoyed in the nineteenth century.