Authentic 1784 Engraved Portrait of Historian Rapin de Thoyras
€ 200
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Date
1784
Sheet size
41.5 × 26 cm (16.3 × 10.2 in)
Condition
Fair
Reference
BG-13599-91
Condition
Repaired: A piece of tape on the reverse to support an edge. Fair. Overall foxing, especially in the margins with rough edges. The platemark with image itself intact but with some brown spots. Paper slightly browned with foxing. Creases in the top corners. Study the images carefully.Seller Locat
About this sheet
This image is an engraved portrait of Mr. Rapin de Thoyras, created for Harrington's edition of "Rapin's History of England."
The individual in the portrait is Paul de Rapin, Lord of Thoyras (1661–1725), a French historian noted for his work on the history of England, "Histoire d'Angleterre."
The engraving was made by J. Brandon, who is possibly the artist who drew the portrait, and the engraver is noted as Goldar, likely John Goldar (1729–1795), an English engraver. It was common practice for one artist to draw the image and another to engrave it for printing.
The text also indicates that this image was the frontispiece for Volumes I and II, suggesting it was used as an introductory illustration for these volumes. The date given, July 3rd, 1784, is when this edition was published or when the engraving was completed and made available for inclusion in the volumes.
The phrase "Published as the act directs" refers to the copyright act which required such works to be registered for copyright protection.
Paul de Rapin's "History of England" was a significant historical work, and this edition from 1784 was still being valued and read in England over fifty years after the author's death. Harrington's edition would have been one of several editions of this work published during that period.
