Accession Number
1956/1.53

Title
The Concert

Artist(s)

Object Creation Date
1773

Medium & Support
etching and engraving on laid paper

Dimensions
12 11/16 in x 17 in (32.23 cm x 43.18 cm);22 1/16 in x 28 1/16 in (56.04 cm x 71.28 cm);15 3/16 in x 20 3/16 in (38.58 cm x 51.28 cm);12 11/16 in x 17 in (32.23 cm x 43.18 cm);11 7/8 in x 16 5/8 in (30.16 cm x 42.23 cm)

Credit Line
Museum Purchase

Label copy
This performance is set in the residence of the Prince de Rohan-Soubise in Paris, now home of the National Archives. Famous for the elegance of its appointments, the circular concert room of the Hôtel Soubise embodies the height of Rococo decoration and is reflected in the refinement of the assembled group.

Duclos engraved the work of a number of draftsmen, including Charles-Nicolas Cochin, Charles Eisen, and Jean-Michel Moreau. Two of his most important engravings, Le concert and its pendant portraying a masked ball, were executed after drawings by his teacher Augustin de Saint-Aubin. Saint-Aubin was from an influential family of artists and member of the Académie Royale. His original drawings were exhibited at the Louvre in 1773; Duclos’ print was executed in the same year and published in 1774.
Exhibition label copy from "Eighteenth Century French Prints and Drawings," February 1 - May 4, 2003 by Curator Carole McNamara

Subject matter
This musical performance is set in the circular concert room of the Hôtel Soubise in Paris, the residence of the Prince de Rohan-Soubise.

Physical Description
The circular room’s ceiling is painted with a sky motif populated by cupids; the room also features ornamental mouldings above four windows that depict musical instruments, and busts on pedastals are placed between the windows. A large number of well-dressed men and women sit while a group of musicians in the center of the room perform on a piano, flutes, cellos, a harp, and other stringed instruments. The print is framed by an ornamental border, and a stretch of tasseled fabric below the scene contains a title and a coat of arms.

Marks/Inscriptions:
In plate, l.c.: Le Concert / A Madame La Comtesse de Saint Brisson; and l.r.: Par son très humble et très obéissant / Serviteur Duclos In plate, in lower margin, l.l.: Dessiné par Aug. de St. Aubin. Graveur du Roi; abd l.c.: A Paris chés Chereau Graveur rue St. Jacques près les Mathurins / Avec Privilége du Roi; and, l.r.: Gravé par A.J. Duclos

Collector's mark on verso: DB.W enclosed in a rectangle. (Copied onto sheet in object file; possibly PB.W?). Not in Lugt (as of 03-24-16).

Primary Object Classification
Print

Primary Object Type
intaglio print

Additional Object Classification(s)
Print

Collection Area
Western

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
French (culture or style)
Musical instruments
Rococo
aristocracy (social class)
cellos
chairs (furniture forms)
concert halls
concerts
costume (mode of fashion)
costumes
curtain
customs (social)
drapery
etching (printing process)
etchings (prints)
fashion (concept)
flutes
harps
interior architecture (object genre)
interiors
leisure events
males
music
music (performing arts)
musical instruments
pianos
salons (rooms for entertaining)
sculpture
sculpture (visual works)
seated
sword
window