18th Century FRENCH SCHOOL

 

The Head of a Young Man as Folly (after Cornelis Visscher)

Black chalk, with stumping.
Laid down on an old mount, inscribed Cornelisz Vischer on the reverse.
194 x 161 mm. (7 5/8 x 6 3/8 in.)
A copy after part of a print, entitled La Folie and datable to c.1737, by the 18th century French engraver Pierre Aveline (1702-1760) after Cornelis Visscher (1628-1658), of which two impressions are in the British Museum. The print depicts a youth holding a cap with a feather and bells in one hand and a mask behind his back in the other. The print is captioned ‘Combien de Curieux empressé à me voir / Pouront, en me voyant, se passer de miroir?’.



The original drawing by Visscher for the print, drawn in black chalk on vellum, is also in the British Museum.

18th Century FRENCH SCHOOL

The Head of a Young Man as Folly (after Cornelis Visscher)