The Cellars Near Dampierre, Etching By Eugène Bléry, 1850

Eugène Bléry devoted himself to etching after discovering those of Jean-Jacques De Boissieu in 1836. He engraved more than 300 plates in 42 years. He was the master of another great engraver: Charles Meryon. He participated in the Salon from 1835 to 1870, he engraved and printed his works himself on his press. He worked on the motif in the open air on prepared plates. Despite his fame he remained a very solitary artist, his works were part of large collections: Pierre Miquel, H.M. Petiet etc.... We read at the bottom of the chine: E.Bléry del. sc. impressit, at the bottom right: aqua forti a 1850. On the sheet on the left: B 95 (for Beraldi), on the right: Les caves près Dampierre, original etching by Bléry Epr before the number. The engraving is on a floating chine, only the upper margin is glued on 1/2cm and the left half has a tear which follows the gluing. The chine is dusty and the support vellum has small tears in the margin.