John Peter Norblin de la Gourdaine (1745 Misy-Faut-Yonne - 1830 Paris), Alexander the Great in the studio of Apelles, 1774

etching, aquatint, dry needle/paper
Dimensions: 23.2 x 35.4 cm (sheet)
Condition IX/IX (Hillemacher notes as condition VIII); described on the plate at the bottom: 'Peint par Dietricy Grave a Varsovie par Norblin'.

Condition
unframed, print cropped at bottom (dedication)

Literature
Hillemacher 11
Smolik 72
Franke 14

Biography
Jan Piotr Norblin, of French descent, was a painter, draughtsman and printmaker, whose activities in Poland took place between 1774 and 1804. From the moment he arrived in Warsaw, he was associated with the patronage of the Czartoryski family. Brought to the country by Prince Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski, initially as a drawing teacher for his children, over time he became the family's court painter, carrying out various commissions for them (wall decorations, easel paintings). He was associated with the Blue Palace in Warsaw, and later the estate in Puławy. His work is dominated by mythological scenes and fetes galantes, inspired by the paintings of Watteau and Fragonard. Norblin was also an engraver. There are 94 known plates, mostly etchings, the influence of Rembrandt shines through strongly. They are dominated by historical scenes (Appointment of Przemysław as King, Offering of the Crown to Piast), portraits, Polish types, studies of heads and busts, rural landscapes and compositions (Invention of Drawing). The artist developed a group of disciples in Poland, as he did, primarily prominent authors of genre scenes, the most important of whom are Aleksander Orłowski, Michał Płoński and Jan Rustem.