August Delâtre at Work
Maximilien Luce
(French, 1858–1941)
August Delâtre at Work, 1895
Etching
Young-Hunter Art Museum Acquisition Fund, 1996.12
Master printer August Delâtre’s innovative and artistic
printing techniques drew to his print shop on the rue
St. Jacques a number of the artists who were involved in the etching revival of the second half of the 19th century, such as Jacque, Méryon, Daubigny, Millet, and Whistler. One of Delâtre’s clients is said to have quipped, “If Rem-brandt lived now, he would send his plates to Delâtre.”
A founding member in 1862 of the Society of Aquafortists, which counted Daumier among its members, Delâtre was extremely influential. Some have argued that the cult of Ja-ponisme that inspired so many French artists, including the Impressionists and post-Impressionists, began in Delâtre’s print shop, where he had a Japanese woodblock print on display.