{"title":"Charles Melchior Descourtis","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"village-wedding-charles-melchior-descourtis","title":"Village Wedding - Charles-Melchior Descourtis","description":"\u003cp\u003eA refined colour aquatint by Charles-Melchior Descourtis, depicting a lively rural wedding celebration under a canopy, based on a painting by Nicolas-Antoine Taunay.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis colour aquatint, titled Noce de Village, is a fine example of the technical skill possessed by Charles-Melchior Descourtis. Working in the late eighteenth century, Descourtis became known for his ability to replicate the soft, painterly qualities of oil paintings through the medium of printmaking. This work is based on an original composition by Nicolas-Antoine Taunay, a painter celebrated for his depictions of rural life and social gatherings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scene captures a festive outdoor gathering under a makeshift canopy. A bride stands near the centre, surrounded by guests who are seated at tables. The composition is balanced, with figures arranged to draw the eye across the various social interactions occurring within the space. To the right, a mother holds a child, while other figures engage in conversation or observe the proceedings. The inclusion of a dog in the foreground and various household vessels adds a sense of domestic realism to the setting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDescourtis employed a sophisticated layering process with multiple copper plates to achieve the subtle gradations of colour seen in the sky and the clothing of the figures. The print retains the soft, atmospheric quality typical of the period, avoiding harsh outlines in favour of tonal transitions. The inscription at the bottom indicates that the original painting was held in the collection of Monsieur Godefroy, a common practice for prints of this era which sought to document private collections for a wider audience. The work provides a window into the aesthetic preferences of the French aristocracy and the idealised view of rural festivities that remained popular during the final years of the Ancien Régime.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/fr\/products\/apotheosis-of-hercules-giovanni-domenico-tiepolo\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eApotheosis of Hercules - Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo — Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/fr\/products\/mary-bold-1740-1824-mrs-thomas-hunt-iii-george-romney\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eMary Bold (1740–1824), Mrs Thomas Hunt III - George Romney — George Romney\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Charles-Melchior Descourtis","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58791139901775,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58791162282319,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58791162315087,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58791162347855,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58791162380623,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58791162413391,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58791162446159,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58791162478927,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58791162511695,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58791162544463,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58791162577231,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58791162609999,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Village-Wedding_Poster_CompositorV1_1789495640684.jpg?v=1789496837"},{"product_id":"portrait-of-wilhelmina-of-prussia-charles-melchior-descourtis","title":"Portrait of Wilhelmina of Prussia - Charles Melchior Descourtis","description":"\u003cp\u003eA refined colour aquatint portrait of Wilhelmina of Prussia by the French engraver Charles Melchior Descourtis, capturing the elegance of late eighteenth-century style.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis portrait depicts Wilhelmina of Prussia, Princess of Orange-Nassau, rendered in the delicate medium of colour aquatint. Charles Melchior Descourtis, a French engraver known for his technical precision, captures the subject within a soft oval frame. The composition focuses on the Princess, whose expression is composed and direct. Her attire reflects the fashion of the late eighteenth century, featuring a ruffled neckline and a prominent sash that provides a singular note of colour against the muted tones of her gown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDescourtis employed the aquatint process to achieve subtle gradations of tone, mimicking the appearance of a wash drawing or watercolour. This technique allows for the soft modelling of the subject's face and the gentle texture of her powdered hair. The background remains dark and unobtrusive, ensuring that the viewer's attention remains fixed upon the sitter. The print demonstrates the high level of craftsmanship associated with French printmaking during this period, where the aim was to translate the nuance of painted portraiture into a reproducible format.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWilhelmina of Prussia was a figure of political consequence, and this portrait serves as a record of her appearance during a period of significant upheaval in the Netherlands. The work avoids excessive ornamentation, relying instead on the clarity of the line and the balance of the tonal values to convey the dignity of the sitter. As a museum-grade print, this reproduction maintains the integrity of the original aquatint, preserving the soft edges and the atmospheric quality that Descourtis achieved through his careful layering of colour plates. It is a fine example of eighteenth-century portraiture, suitable for those interested in the history of European royalty and the evolution of print techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/fr\/products\/neo-classical-vases-in-a-landscape-jean-charles-delafosse\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eNeo-classical Vases in a Landscape - Jean Charles Delafosse — Jean Charles Delafosse\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/fr\/products\/the-martyrdom-of-saint-peter-martyr-pierre-louis-henri-laurent\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eThe Martyrdom of Saint Peter Martyr - Pierre Louis Henri Laurent — Pierre Louis Henri Laurent\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Charles Melchior Descourtis","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58801840193871,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58801844158799,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58801844191567,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58801844224335,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58801844257103,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58801844289871,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58801844322639,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58801844355407,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58801844388175,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58801844420943,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58801844453711,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58801844486479,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Portrait-of-Wilhelmina-of-Prussia_Poster_CompositorV1_1789617963909.jpg?v=1789618245"},{"product_id":"the-pranksters-les-espiegles-charles-melchior-descourtis","title":"The Pranksters (Les Espiègles) - Charles-Melchior Descourtis","description":"\u003cp\u003eA refined colour aquatint by Charles-Melchior Descourtis, depicting a playful pastoral scene of two bathers and hidden observers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCharles-Melchior Descourtis was a master of the colour aquatint, a technique that allowed for the subtle tonal gradations seen in this work. The Pranksters (Les Espiègles) captures a lighthearted, pastoral narrative typical of the late eighteenth-century French aesthetic. In the foreground, two women bathe in a stream, their attention occupied by a letter. Above them, hidden within the rocky outcrop, two young men lower a fishing line, dangling a single shoe as a playful trick upon the bathers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition balances the soft, naturalistic rendering of the figures with the rugged textures of the surrounding woodland. Descourtis employs a delicate palette, using muted greens, earthy browns, and soft flesh tones to create a sense of atmospheric depth. The print demonstrates the technical precision required for multi-plate colour printing, a process that Descourtis helped to refine during his career in Paris.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis work reflects the period's interest in themes of gallantry and innocent mischief. The interaction between the hidden observers and the unsuspecting women provides a narrative tension, common in the genre scenes of the era. The inclusion of the waterfall and the dense foliage serves to frame the central figures, drawing the eye towards the interaction between the two women. As a fine example of the colour printmaking tradition, this piece offers a glimpse into the decorative tastes of the late Rococo period. The careful application of ink and the fine lines of the aquatint process ensure that the textures of the water, rock, and fabric remain distinct and clear. It is a refined example of the graphic arts from a time when printmaking was a primary medium for disseminating artistic ideas across Europe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/fr\/products\/apotheosis-of-hercules-giovanni-domenico-tiepolo\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eApotheosis of Hercules - Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo — Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/fr\/products\/portrait-of-a-woman-said-to-be-madame-charles-simon-favart-francois-hubert-drouais\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePortrait of a Woman, Said to be Madame Charles Simon Favart - François Hubert Drouais — François-Hubert Drouais\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Charles-Melchior Descourtis","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58805580464463,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58805603434831,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58805603467599,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58805603500367,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58805603533135,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58805603565903,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58805603598671,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58805603631439,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58805603664207,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58805603696975,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58805603729743,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58805603762511,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/The-Pranksters-Les-Espi-gles-_Poster_CompositorV1_1789651127583.jpg?v=1789651597"},{"product_id":"the-lover-surprised-lamant-surpris-charles-melchior-descourtis","title":"The Lover Surprised (L'Amant Surpris) - Charles-Melchior Descourtis","description":"\u003cp\u003eA refined colour aquatint by Charles-Melchior Descourtis, depicting a playful romantic scene set within a garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCharles-Melchior Descourtis was a French engraver known for his technical mastery of the colour aquatint process. This work, L'Amant Surpris, is a fine example of the late eighteenth-century French taste for sentimental genre scenes. The print is based on a composition by the painter Jean-Frédéric Schall, capturing a playful moment of courtship within a garden setting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scene depicts a young woman standing behind a seated man, covering his eyes with her hands in a gesture of surprise. The man, dressed in period attire, holds a letter, suggesting a narrative of secret correspondence or romantic anticipation. The surrounding environment is rendered with soft, atmospheric detail, featuring dense foliage, garden statuary, and climbing hollyhocks that frame the figures. The use of aquatint allows for subtle gradations of tone, creating a painterly quality that mimics the appearance of a watercolour or oil sketch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDescourtis employed multiple plates to achieve the range of colours present in the print, a demanding process that required precise registration. The palette is muted and harmonious, relying on soft ochres, greens, and muted reds to convey the gentle mood of the encounter. The composition balances the figures against the natural backdrop, with the statue in the upper right corner providing a classical reference common in the art of the period. This print reflects the interest in domestic intimacy and lighthearted themes that characterised the final decades of the Ancien Régime. It remains a representative piece of the sophisticated printmaking culture in Paris during the late 1700s, where such works were highly sought after by collectors for their decorative appeal and technical refinement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/fr\/products\/apotheosis-of-hercules-giovanni-domenico-tiepolo\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eApotheosis of Hercules - Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo — Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/fr\/products\/self-portrait-maurice-quentin-de-la-tour-1\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eSelf-Portrait - Maurice Quentin de La Tour — Maurice Quentin de La Tour\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Charles-Melchior Descourtis","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58805737062735,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58805742698831,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58805742731599,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58805742764367,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58805742797135,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58805742829903,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58805742862671,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58805742895439,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58805742928207,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58805742960975,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58805742993743,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58805743026511,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/The-Lover-Surprised-L-Amant-Surpris-_Poster_CompositorV1_1789652668044.jpg?v=1789653239"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/fr\/collections\/charles-melchior-descourtis.oembed","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}