Red Chalk Engravings, France, 18th Century

Two very original small engravings imitating the manner of the sanguine pencil on laid paper.
This engraving process imitating the pencil was invented by an engraver of Flemish origin, Gilles Demarteau (1722-1776) who settled in Paris where he developed this original technique which earned him a pension from the King in 1769. The paternity of the process was disputed by other engravers including his student Louis Marin Bonnet, André Basset or Jacques Gautier d'Agoty, but Demarteau's great technical mastery did him justice.

These two engravings are models of exercises for apprentice draftsmen as proven by the legend appearing on the side of the engraving Models of mouths: the mouth from the front must be one eye and a quarter of the face in length; that in profile must not be half that of the front.
At the bottom of the sheet we can read: In Paris at Demarteau Graveur and Pensionnaire du Roy for the invention of Engraving imitating designs, rue de la Pelterie at the bell.

The second sheet is a Study of a child's leg from several angles, as well as a lower face in profile, a mouth from the front and an eye which remind us of the proportion recommendations appearing on the previous engraving (the mouth from the front must be one eye and a quarter of the face in length; the one in profile must not be half the one from the front).
The word "Demarteau" appears in pencil at the bottom of the sheet on the right.

The two prints are sold together, €300 per pair.

Beautiful modern frames in solid oak.