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ULTIMATE Early French Masterworks from the Hyman Collection Firmin-Eugène Le Dien and Gustave Le Gray Follow Pompeï, Maison de Méléagre 1853 Salt print from a waxed paper negative, mounted to the original album leaf. Image/sheet: 24.1 x 33 cm (9 1/2 x 12 7/8 in.) Mount: 35 x 49 cm (13 3/4 x 19 1/4 in.) Numbered '12' in the negative; 'LE DIEN ET GUSTAVE LE GRAY' credit stamp on the recto; titled 'Pompeï Maison de Méléagre' in French and numbered '14' in unidentified hands in pencil on the mount. This work is the only known print of this image to date and is likely unique. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds another salt print of Pompeii, originating from the same album.
Condition Report Sign up or Log in Provenance Originally in an album of early Italian views compiled by W.H. Guebhard, a student of Le Gray Private Collection, France Corbeil-Essones Enchère, Corbeil-Essones, Exceptionnel ensemble de 58 photographies sur papier salé par Gustave Le Gray et Eugène Le Dien, sur l'Italie: Pompeï, Salerne, Naples, Rome, Paestum, Amalfi , 23 February, 2013, lot 190 The Hyman Collection, London Catalogue Essay The present photograph of Pompeii’s House of Meleager was taken by Firmin-Eugène Le Dien, a student of Le Gray, in 1853 during his tour of southern Italy with painters Léon Gérard and Alexandre de Vonne. Le Dien’s works from this trip have been divided into four series: Rome, the countryside, Pompeii and Naples. Upon his return to Paris in the autumn of 1853, it is likely that Le Dien presented his paper negatives to Le Gray who at the time was attempting to commercialise his studio. In the 2002 exhibition catalogue Gustave Le Gray 1820-1884 , Sylvie Aubenas posits that the ‘LE DIEN ET GUSTAVE LE GRAY’ stamp, as seen on the current print, and its variants can be read as the student (Le Dien) and his teacher (Le Gray), and that while we cannot be sure of the conditions of this partnership, the joint credit stamp likely implies both an artistic and commercial collaboration. In this photograph, the composition with a central band of columns cutting across the image is striking. This exceptionally rich print was originally in an album – containing 57 views of Italy by Le Dien and Le Gray – compiled by W. H. Guebhard, another student of Le Gray. In addition to the ‘LE DIEN ET GUSTAVE LE GRAY’ credit stamp, the print is numbered ‘12’ in the negative. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds two salt prints, one of which is another view of Pompeii, originating from the same album. We extend our sincere thanks to The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Photographs for assisting us in our research. Read More