Laguna Fine Art - Manuel Robbe

Title: Nocturne or Le Flirt
Artist: Manuel Robbe
Category: Belle Epoque
Medium: Aquatint
Framed: Yes
Height: 17 5/8"
Width: 13 5/8"

A beatifully printed impression of the definitive state. Hand signed in black crayon lower left Manuel Robbe. In excellent condition with bright fresh colors printed on a sheet with full margins.

Nocturne, or Le Flirt is probably the most famous subject which Robbe drew in color aquatint. It embodies all the qualities which make his prints such appealing works of art – an elegant slightly sensual theme, masterly composition and a wonderful quality of softly modulated and blended color.

Robbe was without doubt one of the greatest exponents of the art of the color aquatint around the turn-of-the-century. He used the á la poupée method of inking the plate in which the inks are effectively painted onto the plate for each impression allowing them to blend and flow into each
other. This creates a special quality of softly modulated and merging color so that the light and the tone can vary from gleaming highlights of pure color to soft shadows. As the ink colors are blended
as they are applied to the plate so the effects vary from impression to impression. This example,
which is a completed proof but before the issued edition, has very finely balanced tones.

Robbe first began to exhibit in the early 1890’s achieving medals at the Salons from the middle of
the decade. From the first his work also received critical acclamation and by the late 1980’s his reputation was very widespread and he was sponsored by Edmond Sagot, one of the leading dealers
of the period. Above all it was the combination of his eye for compositions which reflected the
spirit of the era and his inspired handling of color aquatint as a medium which were and have
remained the vital elements of his art.

Artist Bio: Born in Paris on December 16, 1872, he was descended from a northern French family from the town of Berthune. He studied painting and etching, and soon became an accomplished engraver, specializing in the medium of aquatint. He exhibited regularly at the Salons of the Societé des Artistes Français. Edmond Sagot, one of the most significant publishers of prints at the turn of the 20th century, was a great admirer of Mauel Robbe, and regularly published color prints by him.

Between then and the outbreak of the war in 1914, Robbe executed a large number of aquatints in color and in black. In 1900 Manuel Robbe was awarded a Gold Medal at the Universal Exhibition for his prints. In 1905 he transferred his allegiance from the Societé des Artistes Français to the Societé Nationale des Beaux-Arts, in whose annual salons he was henceforth to exhibit. In 1902-03, the prestigious art critic Gabriel Moury, writing for the English based The Studio, noted that "Robbe especially excels in depicting the modern woman. A somewhat Special type of modern woman." Moury was sensitive to Robbe's wide range of feminine types acknowledging that some of Robbe's prints either focused on "the lady, the artist's wife or the model-seated or reclining or standing, in a studio or a drawing room, or studying some work of art."

Robbe's personal vision is found in his visualization of the women of Paris during the intriguing era of the Belle Epoque. His personal views are even more powerful, as Robbe was a great technician in drypoint and in color aquatint, inventing a technique known as "sugar-life" which gave his prints a startling subtlety. Robbe's technique was developed over several phases. He printed his design with a mixture of sugar, India ink and gum Arabic, on his zinc plate. This was followed by heating the plate and working with the soft-ground etching process until the desired result was achieved. Finally, Robbe painted the subject on the zinc plate with an oil paint brush. For this process he used a special brush made of rags which was called "a la poupée " (with a doll). This process was used by French engravers of the 18th century. In completing his image, Robbe used his fingers to play with the tone on the zinc plate, whereby many of these color prints appear completely unique. He arrived at new shades of color every time he pulled an impression; for example, park scenes appear in spring colors and also in colors associated with autumn.

The influences on Robbe were varied. Renoir's influence is apparent in his upper middle class women of the Belle Epoque, especially in scenes of women in their boudoirs, with children in the parks, and playing the piano, in the promenades and the streets where the essence of happiness is expressed.

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