Antique French framed engraved hand coloured etching scene from Laurette, an eighteenth century comedy by Marmontel

A delightful antique late Eighteenth or early Nineteenth century French engraved drawing or etching. The engraving is mounted with a simple cream card surround, and sits in a plain narrow wood frame which is possibly later Nineteenth century. The drawing is hand coloured with exceptional detail.

The etching features a lady, Laurette, eloping with her lover. The title is Bazile fait quitter a Laurette son Amant.
It is a scene from a comedic novel or play written in the 1770s. The author was Marmontel, and the piece was popular in England as well as in France, being performed for Louis XVI, and also being released in England as Lauretta.
You can find the text by searching; Laurette: comedy in three acts, taken from the Tales of M. Marmontel, & performed in Paris by the Ordinary French Comedians of the King, August 3, 1779

Several versions of illustrations were made for the book, by famous artists and engravers of the period. This particular engraving has no discernible signature.
I have four of the illustrations of scenes from the play, each is listed separately.

The condition is quite distressed, the back plate with its handmade paper cover has been loosened and is a little tattered, the etching itself has a little foxing and discolouration and the wooden frame is scratched and one corner is slightly loose and askew. This is a pretty and interesting item, however, which is over 200 years old so the condition issues are to be expected.

Size of frame approx 37 x 30cm, engraving aperture 27 x 20 cm within mount.

If you would like to order all of the engravings I have in this series, I will combine shipping and refund any overcharge when I have packed the parcel and printed the shipping label. As the items have glass in the frames, they are quite heavy so postage is quite expensive allowing for protective packaging. If preferred I can remove the etching from its frame and send without. Please remember to give me your phone number for the customs documents if buying from outside the EU.

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Our items are carefully selected antique and vintage pieces from France and they show the character and charm of years of use. We do not sell new or reproduction items so you can expect to find signs of the age and life that the piece has led. We believe this history adds to the story of an item. Obvious damage and faults will always be mentioned in our descriptions but minor age-related condition issues are not considered a detriment.