Johann Heinrich Füssli

The painter and printmaker, Mathieu Barathier (1784–1867, Narbonne) demonstrates great virtuosity in his execution of the present crayon etching after Füssli’s famous painting of The Three Witches that is now in the Kunsthaus Zurich (inv. no. 2540). Barathier, most of whose paintings and drawings are in the Palais-Musée des Archevêques de Narbonne, studied under Jacques-Louis David and made lithographs after works by contemporaries and 18th century artists. Les sorcières is the only work in which he used intaglio printing before switching his attention to lithography. It shows Füssli’s iconic witches after Shakespeare’s Macbeth as they announce their fatal prophecies to the tragic hero, symbolised by the death’s-head hawkmoth in the background. A superb, subtly differentiated impression with wide margins around the distinct platemark. Minor ageing, otherwise in excellent condition. Rare.

SOLD