STEEL ENGRAVING – “THE SYREN” from the original painting Charles Louis Muller, engraved by H. Bourne, published in 1876.  This engraving is in very good condition.  The engraving is oval and measures 9 3/4” x 7 5/8”, at the widest points, and is matted to 11” x 14” for easy framing.

The picture here engraved is by Charles Louis Muller, the famous French painter, commonly known as “Muller of Paris,” by way of distinction from other artists of the name. He was a pupil of Cogniet and of Gros, and obtained high repute in his native country by several large historical pictures, especially such as ‘The Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew,’ ‘Diogenes and his Lantern,’ ‘Satan leading Christ up into the Mountain,’ ‘Massacre of the Innocents,’ ‘The Roll-Call of the Victims of the Days of Terror,’ owned by the gallery of the Luxembourg, in the 1800’s. Among his single figures are ‘Spring,’ ‘Lady Macbeth,’ ‘Haidee,’ and ‘The Syren;’ for this latter picture the painter evidently selected a Spanish or probably a Hebrew model: the face and hands are not bronzed enough for those of an Eastern female. The full dark eyes, the raven-black hair flowing in masses over the shoulders, the jeweled head-ornaments, the pearl necklace, the armlet, and finger-rings, bespeak the Jewish race nearer than any other.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

Antique prints, etchings, engravings, and lithographs are printing processes, which use steel, copper, stone or wood blocks or plates to produce a picture on paper.

Most antique prints and engravings, which are seen on the internet today, are bookplates.  Because they are pages from a book, there are multiple copies in existence.  This does not, however, mean that they are "reproductions" that have been printed recently.  Because they were, at some point, part of books, some have been preserved in excellent condition, while others show signs of age, as yellow spots or darkness on the edge of the page from being handled.

Engravings, and lithographs are high quality pieces of art, as it took a highly trained artist many hours of work to produce one.  Although there may be multiple copies still in existence, the date of the item should be stated, thus giving the buyer an idea of its age.

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