Henri GUÉRARD
1846 - 1897
The Old Guitarist
Before 1885
Original etching and drypoint
546 × 430 mm, margins 587 × 462 mm
Very fine impression on laid paper printed in bistre from the fifth state (of 7), with the thumb corrected and other retouching, notably on the hat, annotated and signed 5e Etat tiré à 3 n°2. / H. Guérard, small creases in the left corners, a few spots, slightly sun-faded
On the reverse, traces of old adhesives along the edges, scattered light ink marks
The artist’s red stamp (Lugt 3481) affixed three times
Reference: Bertin 47 v/vii
Bertin points out that no proofs of the first five states or the seventh state are known to exist.
A proof of the sixth state, the crossed-out plate, is preserved at the Bibliothèque Nationale (R151334-11). Guérard describes the various states only in one of his handwritten notes.