Vera Salomons

“ Son exécution est brillante et précieuse, son burin à la fois ferme, transparent et léger; s’il a rarement été chargé de la composition des principaux sujets dans les grandes illustrations des ouvrages de son temps, et si sa collaboration n’a guère été que le complément des travaux des Eisen, des Moreau, des Cochin, des Monnet, il faut dire que le complément a singulièrement fait valoir et quelquefois fait pâlir l’œuvre principale. ”

“ There is tender love for his art in every stroke that caressingly models the allegorical figures whose graceful contours repose on transparent clouds, also in the floral designs, minute genre pictures bordered by drapery and flowers, and in a medal with the artist’s portrait amidst garlands and clouds and a multitude of other picturesque combinations that are contained within the two volumes. ”

“ There are so many angles from which the various aspects of Choffard’s career may be gauged, that it would be interesting to speculate as to the place his talents would occupy to-day, if Choffard lived now instead of being our ancestors’ contemporary. Some may think that his light would not shine so brightly in the twentieth century, since there is no Eisen or other great illustrator with whom to intermix his plates and thus help to form a contrast of exquisite illustration, each enhancing the other draughtsman’s style. ”

“ It seems, therefore, fair to assume that art lovers of to-day, who interest themselves in French illustrated books of the eighteenth century, may care to know something more about the artist whose lovely work is a source of so much pleasure and admiration to them.
The achievements of Choffard do not occupy the high place they deserve in this country; as a whole, they are too little known to do so, and collectors find such difficulty in obtaining impressions of his etchings in a fine state, that this draughtsman’s great gifts are frequently misjudged in consequence. ”

“ The widow, at that time, suffered business losses which caused her to take young Choffard away from the school he attended, and she wisely placed him in the studio of Dheulland who was an engraver of maps, plans, and other geometrical drawings. No doubt the rising genius found this kind of engraving very wearisome, and to make his work more congenial, he ornamented the borders, in which the maps were framed, with his own unique designs. ”

“ In the exquisite frame round the dedication there is a slight difference between the design of the proofs before letters and those after: early states bear the fleur-de-lis crown on the ball itself, whereas later impressions have the crown placed outside, above the ball.
This book contains fine illustrations of nine artists: Boucher, Choffard, Eisen, Gravelot, Leprince, Monnet, Moreau, Parizeau, and Saint-Gois and since these beautiful drawings were reproduced by the greatest engravers France possessed, the artistic value of the four volumes is remarkable. ”

“ The artist must have had as much charm of personality as his achievements had of originality; indeed, it is remarkable to find that whenever his name appears, in memoirs or elsewhere, only good epithets are applied to this self-made artist, who had no social standing and yet was appointed draughtsman and engraver to the Imperial court and to the Spanish throne, whilst the rulers of his native land appear to have given Choffard no post, although he was member of several academies. ”

“ Notwithstanding this probable fact, we cannot but regret that our artist did not leave his life impressions, which would have been full of interest, since he met and associated with all the leading talent of his day.
THE ART OF CHOFFARD The greatest and most permanent monuments of fame that any man can raise to his own memory are those he builds for himself. The colossal masterpiece that stands outlined against the horizon of Choffard’s career is his etchings for “Les Métamorphoses d’Ovide.” ”

“ Every collector ought to be especially careful in avoiding proofs printed from worn or retouched plates, for they do not produce the artistic harmonies the draughtsman strove for and succeeded in achieving.
The majority of Choffard’s book-illustrations consists of designs by other artists which he has reproduced, but as Choffard was a prolific draughtsman, posterity nevertheless possesses a number of volumes wherein design and engraving are both of his own execution. ”

“ It is astonishing, even with the originals, what an extraordinary difference it makes to the picture, whether the proof is brilliant or a late impression, so is it surprising that mechanical reproductions give but a notion of that which they represent, where brilliancy and delicacy of touch are of infinite value. ”

“ The charming vignette Choffard executed for his volume is said, by some, to represent the artist, as a young man, in his studio and would suffice to make the book live and be collected, whatever may be its literary merits or demerits. It is curious to note that a host of the artist’s illustrations are contained in works wholly unworthy of Choffard’s great results, or else they illustrate literature that is very little read in modern times. ”

“ If we look at book-plates of Choffard’s creation, or at the little dedication-plate to the Comte d’Artois in de Piis’ “Chansons nouvelles,” one is able to realize how just the great portrait engraver’s recommendation was. The reproduction here given of this small dedication-page gives but a slight idea of the original in a fine state, for no reproduction can possibly render justice to Choffard’s etched or engraved work. ”

“ Londres (Paris) , 1757, 5 vols., 8vo, contains the same plates and tail-pieces as in the Italian edition. This translation, published by the same editors as those of the Italian edition, is much sought after, although the proofs of the full-page plates and especially of the tail-pieces, are not as fine. There was one issue on large paper, which is less good than the small paper copies. Some collectors put full-page plates of the Italian edition into their copy of the French edition; nevertheless, they cannot hide the inferiority of the tail-pieces. ”

“ Nevertheless a prohibitive value is frequently placed on certain rare states and on scarce eaux-fortes, which makes one realize how true Seymour Haden’s remark is, when applied to this case: “First comes the biographer and cataloguer with wearisome precision to describe different states of a plate and then the dealer to persuade that the first two of these ‘states’ are worth three times more money than the perfected plate ”

“ A few copies of this book exist with the illustrations coloured, but they are not so fine as the uncoloured ones, for the plates were evidently only painted to please certain purchasers of the period and were not printed purposely for colouring.
The five publishers who shared the issue had their own names printed in their respective copies; thus the first and correct edition is issued under five different publishers’ names; all copies are of equal excellence, in spite of many collectors preferring “Hochereau.” ”

“ There appear to be no proofs in an earlier state than with these letters “à la pointe,” or if any exist, they are practically unique.
One of the five fleurons by Choffard for Rousseau’s works is reproduced in this book, and is here followed by the same illustration with the figure draped. This latter is a later state and was never published nor is it cited in any catalogue. Plates in the early state are frequently encountered with points differing from the final ones, due, no doubt, to the artist, author, or publisher wishing for some alteration in the design ”

“ The “Maximes et réfléxions morales,” to which this plate forms a frontispiece, bears the date 1778 on the title-page, whereas La Rochefoucauld’s portrait is dated a year later, by Choffard. A post-dated illustration is a circumstance frequently encountered in French books of the eighteenth century, and it is often difficult to decide whether the volume itself was published later than is stated or if the plates were issued for insertion in the book after its publication. ”

“ Paris, chez l’auteur, an VI de la République, 8vo. A frontispiece and a head-piece by Choffard.
The allegorical frontispiece represents Basan in his study, surrounded by his books and objets d’art and mythological personages; below this plate are the words: “A la mémoire de P. Frs. Basan. P. P. Choffard ft. L’an VII.... 98.” It exists without the “98” and in various other early states.
In all reference books they have omitted to mention that the little vignette is the same as that in volume ii of Basan’s Dictionnaire des Graveurs, 1789. ”

“ A Paris, de l’imprimerie de Didot, 1763, 4to. A frame on the title-page, a head-piece to the “avertissement,” one head-piece and 10 plates representing natives, animals, plants, etc., and 20 maps or plans.
The frame round the title is signed “Croisey Sc.,” and is similar to that in “Description géographique des isles Antilles,” which is signed “P. P. Choffard fecit 1758.” “Déscription géographique de la Guyane” has the same title-border as the other book, only it is reversed and has a slight alteration in the top of the design. ”

“ Eaux-fortes and proofs before letters of Choffard’s plates exist in almost every instance, and they command a much greater price than impressions after letters. Naturally first proofs are usually far more brilliant than later ones and are deservedly prized by collectors. ”

“ ETRENNES GALANTES. 12mo. Title-page by Choffard, mostly engraved by Cochin.
N.B.—This is another issue.
FÉNELON. Les Aventures de Télémaque. There exists an engraved title-page which has a little portrait of Fénelon in the upper part. The decorative portion of this plate is engraved by Choffard. This engraving is usually found in the editions of 1783 and 1785.
GRAFFIGNY (Mme. de) . Lettres d’une Péruvienne, par Mme de Graffigny, traduites du français en italien par M. Deodati avec le texte en regard. Paris, imprimerie de Migneret, 1797, 8vo. A portrait of the author and 6 plates by Le Barbier ”

“ A vignette on the title-page by Gravelot, engraved by Choffard.
ANVILLE (D’) . Troisième Partie de la Carte d’Europe, contenant le Midi de la Russie, la Pologne et la Hongrie, la Turquie, etc. Publiée sous les auspices de Monseigneur Louis-Philippe Duc d’Orléans, etc. 1759. One cartouche drawn by Gravelot, engraved by Choffard.
D’Anville was Gravelot’s elder brother.
ARGENVILLE (Dezallier d’) . Abrégé de la Vie des plus Fameux Peintres, etc. Paris, de Bure, 1745, 2 vols., 4to.
SUPPLÉMENT À L’ABRÉGÉ, etc. Paris, de Bure, 1752, 4to. In all 3 vols. ”

“ A Paris, chez Ignace Pleyel, etc., large 4to. Title-page by Choffard.
BRISEUX. Traité du Beau Essentiel dans les Arts, appliqué particulièrement à l’Architecture, etc., par le sieur C. E. Briseux, architecte. Paris, chez l’auteur et chez Chereau, 1752, 2 vols., 4to. 6 tail-pieces by Choffard and 2 architectural drawings engraved by the same artist. One tail and a head-piece are in Choffard’s style, but are unsigned. This draughtsman may likewise have engraved some of the architectural plates that bear no signature. Also many plates by other artists. ”

“ ATLAS TOPOGRAPHIQUE DES ENVIRONS DE PARIS, dédiés et présenté au Roy par son très-humble et très-obéissant serviteur ... Lattré. A decorative title-page by Choffard.
BACHELIER. Collection de Cul [sic] de Lampes [sic] et Fleurons, inventés et dessinés par Mr. Bachelier, peintre du Roy, tirée de la grande edition in-folio des Fables de la Fontaine, et gravés par P. P. Choffard. Distribués en quatre suites; Avec privilege du Roy. Ier. suite. A Paris chés [sic] la Ve. Chereau rue St. Jacques au 2 Pilliers d’Or. Royal 8vo. ”