601 - R. VINKELES (1741–1816), The Monkey and the Leopard, Plate 2, 1775, Etching

R. VINKELES (1741–1816), The Monkey and the Leopard, Plate 2, 1775, Etching Reinier Vinkeles (1741 Amsterdam – 1816 ibid.): The Monkey and the Leopard, Plate 2 Le Singe et le Leopard, Fable CLXXIII, 2nd Plate, 1775, Etching Technique: Etching on paper Print Quality: An absolutely superb, harmonious print, with delicate, clear detail and well-balanced black levels. Inscription: Signed in the printing plate at the lower left: “Vinkeles, del. et sculp.” At the lower part, inscribed in the printing plate: “LE SINGE ET LE LEOPARD. Fable CLXXIII. / 2e Planche.” Date: 1775 Description: An interior with a sloping ceiling shows, on the left, a frame from which a monkey is jumping through rings or hanging. On the right, a group of elegantly dressed men and women are seated on a bench in the foreground; their gestures and attentive gazes are directed toward the performance. A table covered with a cloth and a barrel occupy the foreground. The scene is rendered in delicate line engraving with dense cross-hatching; light streams in through an opening in the roof, highlighting the figures, fabrics, and the monkey’s body against the darker room. The composition has a narrative quality and alludes to a moralizing fable. Source: Jean de la Fontaine (1621–1695) *Fables choisies*, 1802 | Book, Mythology, Genre, Fashion Keywords: Interior; Monkey; Society; Ladies; Gentlemen; Fable; Performance; Attic; Table; Barrel; Frame; Audience; Rococo clothing; Narrative scene; Etching; Book illustration; Moral scene; Interior; Depiction of an animal; 18th century; Classicism; Genre; France; Size: Paper: 19.5 cm x 13.0 cm (7.7 x 5.1 in), Image: 13.2 cm x 8.5 cm (5.2 x 3.3 in) Condition: Good condition. The paper is slightly yellowed due to age, with occasional stains and soiling along the margins; the margins are uneven and show slight signs of wear; there is a small tear or crease in the upper right-hand corner. There are small puncture marks from an old binding on the right-hand margin of the page.