Bal Costumé

Printed à la poupée on Arches laid paper. The "Bon ˆ tirer" impression, before the edition of 50, published by L'Estampe Nouvelle. Annotated "Bon à tirer cinquante épreuves", signed by the publisher "Eug. Rodrigues", and dated "8.7.99" in pencil. Also signed in pencil by the artist. Aside from being a beautiful impression in pristine condition by one of the masters of color intaglio at the turn-of-the-century, this is also an amazing document. Not only is it one of very few prints by Richard Ranft with a date firmly established, it also shows that by the summer of 1899 his style and color technique were already well established. Many of his prints which are dated after 1900 may actually be anterior to that time. In addition to this, we have a rare printer's proof, approved for the edition by the publisher of L'Estampe Nouvelle, Eugène Rodrigues. This publication, founded in 1897, seems to have run at least until 1914 (a menu from May 24th of that year was printed). It was limited to a membership of 50 subscribers. How many prints were actually published is unclear, but all, by the likes of Armand Rassenfosse, Pierre Roche and Mary Cassatt, were printed in editions of 50 only.