really love this print - and it was a hard decision for me to list it.
The print is one of a series of prints published in 1820 in London. The title of the series was "Twenty Four Subjects Exhibiting the Costume of Paris, The Incidents taken from Nature" Designed and Drawn on Stone by J.J. Chalon. London: Published by Rodwell and Martin, 1822.
Jean-Jacques Chalon was a French artist born in Switzerland who eventually settled in England. His designs are by no means mere costume plates. Instead they are animated and faithful studies of Parisian manners and costumes in the years 1820 to 1822.
It is inscribed below the image "Designed & drawn on Stone by J.J. Chalon". This work was published on May 1 1820 by Rodwell and Martin, New Bond Street in and printed by Charles Hullmandel.
Dimensions: The frame is 32 x 37 cm. The image size is 16 x 21 cm. The print is in excellent condition with no foxing or stains to the sheet. The hand-colouring is original to the print and was added in the early 19th century.
This lithograph is Plate 23 from the series. It shows two women sitting on the Seine Embankment near the Pont Neuf (which appears to be the traditional location for these grooming activities over many years). The Pont Neuf was the first open bridge in Paris, allowing unimpeded crossing of the river. It attracted all manner of traders to the area - and included not only these dog groomers, but also performers, refreshments vendors, street sellers and peddlars.
Here, we see two women grooming dogs spread out on their laps. They are giving the dogs a haircut and you can see them trimming the dogs' tummies with tiny scissors. Good luck with that one! My Bertie would be having none of it! They sit under a large parasol and in the background is a sign advertising their business. There are two newly groomed dogs in the right foreground, and a further two in a kennel to the left. I think that the dogs are all French poodles - as they certainly have very strange haircuts with lots of clipped pom poms. A man is seen to the side looking over the bridge. A carriage and a fashionable lady is shown in the background reflecting a rise in the Bourgeoise fashions in the city after the Napoleonic Wars.
Another impression of this interesting print is in the collection of the British Museum and in the Carnavalet Museum in Paris. These lithographs do not come onto the market often - and are keenly sought after.
BIOGRAPHY: John James Chalon (1778 - 1854) was a celebrated landscape and genre painter, draughtsman and lithographer. He was born in Geneva but settled in England with his family as a child. Chalon studied at the Royal Academy in 1796 and started to exhibit his work from 1800. He took up painting in watercolours in 1800s. With his brother, Alfred Chalon, he founded the 'Society for the Study of Epic and Pastoral Design' in 1808, and later better known as the Chalon Sketching Society, which lasted until 1851.
My lovely dog print will cost £10 to send to you with Recorded Delivery. This will be applied to your order at the checkout.