Philibert Louis DEBUCOURT

(1755 - Paris - 1832)

Les Deux Baisers [The Two Kisses] - 1786

Wash manner, printed in black, blue, red, orange and yellow inks on laid watermarked paper. Size of sheet: 46.2 x 53 cm.

Portalis & Beraldi, Vol1, part 2, p.693, no.3; I.F.F. 6:4; Fenaille, 7 (III/III).

Provenance: Gallery Paul Prouté, Paris (Gallery’old lable on the back).

A good impression with full margins, all four registration marks.

Philibert Louis DEBUCOURT: Les Deux Baisers

This charming scene reflects the morals and costume on the eve of the Revolution. Among several details, we will notice the pendulum with the balloon recalling the experience of the watch inventor Jacques Charles and engineer Nicolas-Louis Robert flying their hydrogen balloon on December 1, 1783 over the Place de la Concorde; and issue of the Journal de Paris cluttering a dresser, a fascicle of the Lunes du Cousin Jacques, a periodical published from 1785 to 1791, placed on a stool.

Debucourt’s painting was exhibited at the Salon of 1785, under the title The Feigned Caress (La Feinte Caresse, no.155 of the booklet). Debucourt was not only the last great colour printmaker of the 18th century, but also the only one who regularly used his own paintings and drawings as models for his prints.

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