Watermark: grape above cartouche with unreadable letters, similar to Heawood 2139: London 1627.

Literature: J. Thuillier, Jacques Blanchard 1600 - 1638, Exh. Cat., Rennes, Musée des Beaux-Arts, 1998, pp. 34-35, 120, 121, cat. 22.II, illustrated p. 122.

Superb dark and rare impression with margins all around. Lettered on the bottom Blanchard pinxit De la Court fecit Durand excu.

Published by Claude Durand (1641-1653 (fl.)).

After a painting by Jacques Blanchard executed between 1630-1633, known in three versions, all very close to the print, see Thuillier 1998, cat. 22.1-3.

Little is known about Nicolas de La Court (born possibly in Douai and active in Dijon in the middle of the 16th century), but he was a skilled engraver who entered de La Hyre's workshop in 1639 for a three-year apprenticeship. The present work is one of only three prints signed by the artist and identified so far. According to Jacques Thuillier, de La Court worked on this print towards the end of his apprenticeship, around 1641 (1).

(1) J. Thuillier, Jacques Blanchard 1600 - 1638, 1998, p. 120.