Beautiful print trimmed to the edge of the square line, the upper left corner redone.

1642

Blum: 204

"In his studio, a sculptor receives three visitors, two women and a man, elegantly dressed. One of the women is ecstatic before a large marble statue of Venus and Cupid standing on a pedestal to the right. On the pedestal are a mallet and a chisel, against it a compass, and on the ground clasps (a type of gouge) and a brush. The statue is reminiscent of the work of the sculptor Jacques Sarazin (1592-1660), notably the groups created for the Château de Wideville, on which the architect Thomas Francini also collaborated. The sculptor, who holds a chisel in his right hand, presents with his left the miniature model that served as a guide for the creation of his marble statue.To the left, on a stand, is a man's head; on a table behind, several wax models, wax on paper, and a modeling tool; behind it, on a small table, two wax models, one of which, in progress, is covered with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out too quickly. On shelves at the back of the studio, as well as on the floor, are various examples of our sculptor's work. On the left, we notice a statue of Strength, and on the right, a group with a river god; between the two, a cartouche carved with the coat of arms of Cardinal Richelieu. Behind the visitors, a funerary sculpture can be partially seen."

Abraham Bosse and the Royal Academy
"Reason above all" by Sophie Join-Lambert, an article written as part of "Abraham Bosse, learned engraver" at the Bibliothèque nationale de France from April 20 to July 11, 2004.