Volume 1

An introduction to the study & collection of ancient prints / [William Hughes Willshire].

  • Willshire, W. Hughes (William Hughes), 1816-1899.
Date:
1877
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An introduction to the study & collection of ancient prints / [William Hughes Willshire]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    366/406 page 340
    Jean Duvet (or Du-Vet), the Mafter of the Unicorn. Born, Langres, 1485 ; was living in 1556. (Bartfch, vol. vii. p. 496.) This artift was a goldfnnith in the fervices of Francis I. and Henri II. of France, and was the firft French engraver worthy the name of mafter. He is often called the ‘ Mafter of the Unicorn.’ Although his earlieft dated print bears on it 1520, it is fuppofed that Duvet muft have handled the burin fome ftiort time before this ; he continued working until he was feventy years old, for in 1556, he obtained a royal privilege for the publication of his ‘ Apocalypfe Figuree.’ Though not devoid of originality. Duvet was fond of copying from other mafters, and, in our opinion, fome of his beft work is to be found in thefe copies. He rather affected an Italian ftyle. Bartfch regards his technical proce- dure as ‘ merely a pifturefque afl'emblage of different lines, which, although fufficient to produce the requifite Ihadows, does not neceffitate that fubtil attention neceffary for executing a clean and careful ftroke. It is doubtlefs this coarfe kind of work which has given rife to the opinion that Jean Duvet did not engrave on copper, but on a metal lefs hard than it.’ About moft of Duvet’s work there is a very mechanical and metallic character, juft fuch technic, in fa6I, as an engraving gold- fmith might produce. Seventy-five pieces are afcribed to him by PafiTavant. On fome of thefe JoH. Duvet, or Duvet, is written in full ; on others, I D, on a tablet, may be feen (q)[§] . Some prints have a date only, while others have not any mark whatever. Certain engravings, in which the Unicorn is introduced and fuppofed to bear reference to the amours of Henri II. and Diana of Poitiers, have caufed this mafter to receive the cognomen before mentioned. One of thefe (B. 44), Poifon and Antidote, or the Battle of the Animals, is fo fuperior in defign and technic to the reft of Duvet’s works that fome critics have afcribed the piece to an Italian fource of high pretenfion. According to Stanley (fee Bryan), Mr. Carpenter, the late Keeper of the Prints at the Britifh Mufeum, believed it to be the work, toto^ of Leonardo da Vinci, and Mr. Stanley agrees in this opinion. Pafiavaht attributes
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