Help needed to translate Auctioneer’s language

I bought this lovely little coloured engraving for the princely sum of €1,50. It is one of a pair. Now I need some help understanding a couple of auctioneer's descriptions: -











Descriptions taken from two auctions:
First auction: -
Two prints -Pierre Antoine Baudouin 1723-1769 – Erotic Lover‘s Secret - Baudouin or Baudoin

https://www.catawiki.fr/l/29309391-...der-lover-s-secret-baudouin-oder-nach-baudoin

This lot consists of 2 rare prints on paper with the inscriptions “Baudoin pinx” and “D.... Sculp”. The inscriptions could be handwritten. Could be attributed to Pierre-Antoine Baudouin (French, 1723-1769).

A beautiful engraving full of rich colours and with French stylisation from the 18th. century. Reminiscent of the work of Francois Boucher (French, 1703-1770), Baudouin was his apprentice and imitator.

Artist
Print - Pierre Antoine Baudouin 1723-1769

Title of the artwork
Erotic Lover's Secret (This is one of a pair)

Year
18th Century

Technical
Print from copper engraving

Signature
Signed in the plate

Image size
13.7 × 10.4 cm

Total dimensions
15.5 × 20 × 1.3 cm

Second auction: -
Description:

Pierre-Antoine Baudouin (French, 1723-1769) -- Fine Art

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/64064710_pierre-antoine-baudouin-french-1723-1769-fine-art

This lot consists of a fine art engraver's print on paper, with the inscription "Baudoin pinx" and "D.... Sculp" at bottom. Inscription could be handwritten. May be attributed to Pierre-Antoine Baudouin (French, 1723-1769). Image depicts a man and woman swept up in a lover's embrace. The lady smiles sweetly as her lover places a tender kiss on her cheek. They seem to have sought privacy in a handsomely decorated Rococo room, but a cracked door reveals the face of an intruder. A third figure -- perhaps a servant woman -- peers curiously through the opened door, one finger held to her lips as if she has just absorbed the secrecy of the moment. A lovely engraving, full of rich color and 18th century French stylization. Reminiscent of the work of François Boucher (French, 1703-1770), of whom Baudouin was an apprentice and imitator. Piece measures approximately 8" x 9".[THIS RELATES TO THE SECOND ENGRAVING PART OF A PAIR]

QUESTIONS:
1 I can find no information relating to BAUDOIN although plenty of websites with pick and mismatch between the two names. Is this why the auctioneers suggest that BAUDOUIN is in fact posing as BAUDOIN?

2 I learned from a submission yesterday that 'pinx[et] or pinx[it]' was Latin. The first meaning 'shading' and the second is 'retouched'. I found "Pinx." is an abreviation for "Prinxit", so there we are. I think this might be a deliberate clue BAUDOUIN is giving.

3 'D....Scupt' is I assume the engraver. I have searched but failed to find an engraver of of that name.

What I also learned was if you read one auctions description, you've read all auctioneers description. They don't seem to try original research, or even rewording. I expect I shall do the same when I put it sale.

4 I also read on this site about a site similar to Ebay, that does take commission from sellers on the cost of postage/delivery. Could somebody jog my memory as to what it was?

Thank you all.

 

Are you thinking of: etsy.com

 

No that's not the one. I shall have to do some searching. Thanks for trying.

 

Pinxit, often abbreviated as "pinx," or even just the letter "p" was often used on prints of an earlier era to indicate who was responsible for a work of art. And "sculp" or "scult" is the engraver. Too bad there is only one initial.

The label on the back was either from a framer or a place that sold pre-framed art. The Galerie des Tuileries, from what I can tell, was near the Louvre in Paris. Google indicates it is "permanently closed." So it may have recently still been open? The label itself has a font that appears to be from some time in the 20th century. Either Art Deco period (1920s-1930s) or later. Some fonts like that were used later, in the 1960s for example.

It's hard for me to tell the era that your copy of the print was made. It could have been put into its current frame much later than when the print was made... or that may be the original frame.

 

I found this in an article relating to map printing in the New York Public Library's online exhibition ..... "....On many of the maps in the exhibit, the engraver is identified in the lower left or right corner by the Latin term “sculpt.” So that leaves just th "D" as a reference to whom the engraver was.

 

'Pinx' is usually taken to be for pinxit: painted it. I suggest 'Baudoin' is the printer's misspelling of Baudouin. It's consistent with Pierre Antoine's work.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/334782

 

• pinx. pour pinxit : peignit ;
• del., delin. pour delineavit : dessina ;
• comp. pour composuit : composa ;
• inv., invent. pour invenit : inventa le motif ;
• sc., sculp. pour sculpsit : tailla ;
• f., fe., fec. pour fecit : fabriqua ;
• direx., pour direxit : dirigea ;
• imp. pour impressit : imprima ;
• e., exc., excude. : pour excudebat, excudit : façonna, édita ;
• inc. : pour incidit : incisa ;
• ca. : pour caelavit : cisela, burina ;
• imitando : imité du (du lavis, du crayon, etc.).

Les mentions sculp, fecit, inc. et caelavit renvoient à la fonction de graveur et aux techniques qu'il convoque.
from :https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estampe

the D could be the fourth copy of the printing plate including the original.

 

Chairish?

 

@Bronwen @Fid I think your two answers tie this together - 4th edition of plate, and misspelling of name several years after the original. Thank you very much, interesting and helpful. Any idea how many prints could be obtained from a copper plate before it needed replacing, and is it possible that the picture would still have a market in the 20th Century to fit in with @Figtree3 dating of the framers label? Thanks again all of you.

 

I do not know enough about the technique but found a guess about Dürers work that estimates with one plate there were ~ 200 best quality and another 300 to 400 lesser quality ones printed.

 

Hello @Figtree3 @Bronwen @Fid

I usually make notes about anything new that I have learned about. With this coloured engraving I have learned a lot, with all the feasible information, thoughts, and ideas. My notes have turned into an article.

I would like to submit it to a couple of editors, although since 2008 freelance writing has been in the doldrums, so the chances of publication are very slight.

Although I haven’t used any of your pseudonyms, I am using your suggestions, so want your permission to do so. I will send you a PDF of the draft, but don’t know how to do so. Please can you let me know.

If, after you have read it, you have any concerns I will change it, and if necessary abandon the idea of publication.

Thanks,

Brian Warshaw

 

Hi, I just wrote you a message through this site.

 

I give you my d'accord. you can also mention my nom de plume.
biggest part is from the French Wiki, so free anyway.
I think you can contact individual members somehow.

 

Thanks very much. All three of you have been back to me now.

 

nonetheless it would be nice to receive the article - as pdf.

 

Talk to Figtree3. I received a private message from Figtree via 'inbox' and sent a PDF by email. Once you know how to do it, perhaps you can let me into the secret. Thanks.

 

@Fid , just send @Brian Warshaw a private message through the Inbox with an email address to which it can be sent.

Actually, I haven't looked for the PDF in my email account yet. Thanks for letting me know that you sent it! I will look in a few minutes.