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

$49.56

Shipping to United States: $53.97

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.

We are able to post out parcels from Metropolitan France and shipping fees are shown. Please allow plenty of transit time, as European post is notoriously slow!
*The customer is responsible for any import duties incurred for an item. We will require a telephone number to add to the customs forms, to help prevent any delays or transit problems. If you refuse delivery of an item due to customs costs, please be aware that your parcel's postage costs will be forfeit, although we are happy to refund the item purchase price upon return.
**Please also note that most deliveries within France and some other European Union countries are usually made to a Pont Relais collection point, there are usually a number of these located in shops and supermarkets in each town, and you will be given the opportunity to specify which one you prefer if this service is available for your location. Otherwise I will select the shop with the longest opening hours within your area. Deliveries to most other European destinations are generally to your doorstep unless it is much cheaper to use Pont Relais.
***Currently deliveries to the UK may be impacted by Brexit paperwork and procedural delays, if you are based in the UK please feel free to message me for an estimate of shipping availability, timescale and cost. This situation is becoming easier as time goes by. The sales tax is being included in any sales so there should be nothing extra due to pay when your parcel arrives, subject to customs clearance.

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.

Shipping & Policies

Shipping from France

Processing time

3-5 business days

Customs and import taxes

Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.

Payment Options

Secure options
  • Accepts Etsy gift cards

Returns & Exchanges

I gladly accept returns

Just contact me within: 14 days of delivery

Ship items back to me within: 30 days of delivery

I don't accept exchanges or cancellations

But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.

The following items can't be returned or exchanged

Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:

  • Custom or personalized orders
  • Perishable products (like food or flowers)
  • Digital downloads
  • Intimate items (for health/hygiene reasons)

Conditions of return

Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.

Legal imprint