Old engraving might be old

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strawman

strawman

So a year or three ago I picked up some cardboard boxes from a craig's list ad for free. Random assortment of new boxes ranging from 7x7x7 to 17x17x17.

As I was rearranging them in the shed today, I noticed one of them contained what appears to be an old engraving, sandwiched between two pieces of posterboard (well, one piece of posterboard, one piece of some sort of archival art paper).

Looks like the perplexed dude is trying to thread a needle whilst the bemused lady looks on.

The little information I've been able to pull up about "J.R. Rice" suggests a line engraving artist born in 1824. If this is an original it would be over a century old, which is pretty interesting in and of itself.

I'm curious how one goes about finding out if a given work of art is an original print or not. While an appraisal would be interesting, I'm more interested in learning about its age, and if possible whether it was given a name, who the subjects might be, etc.

It would be interesting to see if one could determine from the dress and furnishings what period it belongs to, for instance.

Excuse the iphone 3GS quality images. Too lazy to get out the real camera and do it right.



 
Sara_2814

Sara_2814

You're in the Ann Arbor area, right? You could try calling the University of Michigan Museum of Art. If they can't help with the identifying, they could probably at least get you started in finding someone who could help.

Good luck!
 
strawman

strawman

Oooh, good call! I don't want to spend money on an appraisal, but the university museums might do it for free, or at least be able to tell me more about the author and his works.
 
S

susan L

Hello,
I have the same print which was engraved by J.R.Rice (1824-1876) a Philadelphia engraver of note.
The artist, Abraham Solomon (1824-1862) painted the original work based on a Jean de la Fontaine fable. The link below will provide you with some information about Solomon and a mention of your print.
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/speel/paint/solomona.htm

If you have additional information I would be most appreciative if you would be so kind as to send it along.

Kindest regards,
Susan
 
strawman

strawman

Thanks! So this is an engraving of Abraham solomon's "Lion in Love". I haven't done anything further with it, but if I find out anything new I'll update this thread.
 
strawman

strawman

Here's the mentioned fable (I've broken it up into passages as it's easier for me to read this way):

THE LION IN LOVE
*Sévigné, whose attractiveness
Serves as a model to *Beauties,
You were born so beautiful,
In case you are indifferent,
Would you be enclined
To an innocent Fable's games,
And see, without fear,
A lion tamed by Love?

Love is a strange master.
Happy is he who experiences it
Only through tales, minus its pains!
When it is told in front of you,
If the truth offends you,
The Fable at least can be endured:
It is bold enough
To come offer itself at your feet,
By zeal or by gratitude.

In the times when animals spoke,
Lions among others wanted
To be accepted in our circles.
Why not? since their kins
Were worth ours back in those times,
Having courage, intelligence,
And a beautiful head, moreover.

Here is how it happened:
A Lion from highly ranking parents,
While walking through a certain pasture,
Met a Sheperdess to his liking :
He asked for her in marriage.

The father would have prefered
A son in law a little less scary.
To give her to him seemed very harsh;
To refuse her was not so wise;
Even a rejection might have made it possible
That some fine morning we'd have seen
A clandestine marriage.
Furthermore anyway
The beautiful girl was meant for noble people,
-Daughter becomes easily infatuated with
A long maned lover.

So the father openly
Not daring to dismiss the lover,
Said to him: "My daughter is delicate;
Your claws could wound her
When you'll wish to caress her.
Allow therefore that each paw of yours
Be declawed, and that your teeth,
Be filed down at the same time.
Your kisses will be less harsh,
And for you more delicious;
Because my daughter will respond to them better,
Being without these worries.

The Lion consented,
His heart was so blinded!
Without teeth or claws here he is,
Like a dismantled room.
A few dogs were turned aloose on him:
He did not resist much.

Love, Love when thou holdest us
One can well say: "Farewell prudence."
Click to expand...
Source: http://aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?jdlf&iv1jd&iv2l.jpg
 
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