Coloured engraving representing a view of the French Stock Exchange (Palais Brongniart) as part of a series of illustrations of Paris monuments and landmarks produced by Christophe Civeton and engraved by François Louis Couché (Couché fils) for the book “Histoire physique, civile et morale de Paris”, first published in 1825 by J.-A. Dulaure. This illustration corresponds to plate 81.
Christophe Civeton (Paris 1796 – Paris 1831) was a French painter and lithographer. Student of Jean-Victor Bertin for landscape painting and of Nicholas Ponce for engraving, he took away the Fine Arts school’s Perspective Award in 1816, meant to encourage students to learn to compose backgrounds for their works. Among his works are 85 subjects representing Paris’s various monuments, 92 views of the principal monuments in Paris and the principal monuments in France.
François Louis Couché, known as Chouché fils (Paris 1782 – Paris 1849) was a French illustrator and engraver. Student of Louis Lafitte (1770 – 1828) for drawing and of his own father Jacques Couché (1750 - ?) for engraving, François Louis Couché essentially illustrated the Napoleonic legend. Among his works we find a series of portraits of Napoleon and his brothers, battle scenes of the First Empire, illustrations for Jacques de Norvins’s book “L’Histoire de Napoléon” (1827) or allegory scenes. He is also credited for his series of views of the monuments of Paris, scenes of homage to Voltaire and a number of portraits.
Artist: Christopher Civeton, illustrator; François Louis Couché, engraver.
Medium: Copper engraving enhanced with hand-painted watercolour.
Condition: Very good condition.
Dimensions: 10 x 13 cm. / 4 x 5 in.
Frame: Sold without frame.
Provenance: Spain.