Jean-Baptiste Le Prince and the “Russian Theme” in Lavis
https://doi.org/10.25281/2072-3156-2022-19-3-284-292
Abstract
This paper discusses the phenomenon of “russerie” (“Russian theme”) and its specific embodiment in the work of the French engraver and artist Jean-Baptiste Le Prince (1734—1781). A student of François Boucher (1703—1770), he consistently developed the rocaille aesthetics of his teacher. Le Prince arrived in St. Petersburg in 1757. After spending five years in Russia, the artist returned to his homeland in France. Over the next decade, reflecting on the impressions received during his trip to Russia, he created numerous works devoted to the “Russian theme”. It was these works that formed the basis for “russerie” — a new genre of exoticism in European art. The most outstanding examples of the “Russian theme” in graphics are the prints produced in the new engraving method called lavis, invented by Le Prince (1769). These prints, creating the illusion of a watercolor drawing in printed graphics, have hardly attracted the attention of Russian scholars until recently. This article, for the first time, consistently examines the features of this technique and, basing on a number of archival documents, presents the reconstruction of public opinion and the evaluation of these works by the audience. The central part in the article is devoted to the “Russian theme” in lavis. There is shown the originality of “russerie” in lavis on the plot and stylistic levels. Besides, the article considers the relationship of this theme with “chinoiserie” and “turquerie”. In addition, the author outlines the development prospects of the “Russian theme”, which appeared under the influence of prints in the manner of lavis.
Keywords
18th century art,
engraving,
lavis,
engraving technique,
Russian theme,
“russerie”,
rococo,
fine art
About the Author
Elizaveta Yu. Panova
Independent Researcher
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Moscow, Russia
ORCID 0000-0002-7609-7027; SPIN 6170-3106
References
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- Jean-Baptiste Le Prince (Metz 1734 — Saint-Deni-du-Por 1781) went down in art history as the author and founder of the Russian theme in European art.
- The examples of the Russian theme in graphics are the engravings made in the lavis technique invented by Le Prince in the 1769.
- The article consistently examines the features of this method of engraving and presents a spectator's assessment of works in the lavis technique performed on the basis of a number of archival documents.
- On the plot and stylistic levels, the originality of the Russian theme and its correlation with the themes of Chinoiserie and Turquerie are shown.
- The article also outlines perspectives on the development of the Russian theme in graphics, which emerged under the influence of lavis engravings.
Review
For citations:
Panova E.Yu. Jean-Baptiste Le Prince and the “Russian Theme” in Lavis. Observatory of Culture. 2022;19(3):284-292. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.25281/2072-3156-2022-19-3-284-292
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