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Color mezzotint print of an English stipple engraving by John Raphael Smith from a painting by Georg

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Documents Start Price:320.00 USD Estimated At:400.00 - 600.00 USD
Color mezzotint print of an English stipple engraving by John Raphael Smith from a painting by Georg
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This item SOLD at 2012 Apr 23 @ 11:17UTC-4 : AST/EDT
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Color mezzotint print of an English stipple engraving by John Raphael Smith from a painting by George Morland, printed by Rollet (Paris) after 1794, entitled "TRAITE DES NEGRES" (Slave Trade), in original satinwood frame. 23" x 20". This soul-stirring picture of Europeans rounding up African slaves dates to an official anti-slavery period in France from 1794-1809, as evidenced by the caption below the title: "Quel contrat infame. L'un Marchande Ce qui n'appartient a Personne, L'autre Vend la Propriete De la nature. Ce vil metier a ete aboli par la Convention Nationale le 16 Pluviose l'An deuxieme de la Republique francaise une et indivisible" (roughly translatable as "What an infamous contract. What one bargains for that does not belong to anyone, the other sells that belongs to nature. This vile trade was abolished by the National Convention on the 16th Pluviose of the 2nd year [February 4, 1794] of a united and indivisible French Republic"). The artwork itself is in nice condition, with faint but discernible color, but with brown spots mostly toward top and in margins. The antique wood frame is particularly attractive and accounts for much of this lot's value.