[MUSÉE DU LOUVRE (PARIS). POUSSIN, NICOLAS (1595-1665), ...

[Suite of Four Engravings: Les Quatres Saisons].

      [c1660's]. Four copper engravings from Tome I of the Cabinet du Roi (Tableaux). Sheet sizes approx 67.5 x 94 cm each. Contents: Le Printemps. Plate mark: 47.5 x 62.5 cm, 1st state (W. 174). L'Esté. 48 x 62 cm, 1st state (W. 175). L'Automne. 47.5 x 62 cm, 1st state (W. 176). L'Hiver. 48 x 62 cm, 1st state (W. 177). Inscription varies. Text in French and Latin. Small blind embossed stamps in lower margin. Pencilled numbers in margin; paper somewhat dusty; very light spotting in gutter of Le Printemps and on top edge and gutter of L'Esté; small ink blot outside print mark on one plate; but images clean and sharp. Wildenstein, Georges: "Les Graveurs de Poussin au XVIIe Siècle", Paris 1957, 174-177. The remarkable collection of engravings known as the Cabinet du Roi originated with Louis XIV's minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683), who commissioned engravers to create designs for the King's tapestries and furniture. Colbert set up a workshop and repository called the Chalcographie du Louvre to employ engravers and printers, and to conserve the copperplates produced for the engravings. As early as 1662, engravings were made to record special celebrations given by the King at Versailles. They were well-received, and by an order in council in 1667, an enormous artistic endeavour was undertaken to record the King's collections of paintings, sculpture, and coins, as well plans for gardens and buildings, and the interior decoration of the royal residences. Beginning in 1670, these engravings were published in volumes and presented as gifts to visiting dignitaries. To offset the cost of production, Colbert offered restrikes of them for sale, and in 1727, the first complete set of the Cabinet du Roi engravings was published in 23 volumes. Nicolas Poussin was born and educated in Normandy, and at the age of 18 left for the art studios of Paris. Inspired by the Italian masters, he eventually went to Rome, where patrons such as Cardinal Francesco Barberini encouraged him to produce a range of canvases with classical and biblical themes. He returned to Paris under Louis XIII and painted large tableaux for the royal homes, patterns for Gobelins tapestries and many works for the Louvre. The lion's share of engravings made for the Tableaux volume of the Cabinet du Roi series were from Poussin's paintings, reproduced by prominent engravers Audran, Baudet, Pesne, Rousselet and Claudine Stella, among others. This set, in the 1st state, according to Wildenstein, is scarce.