Edgar Chahine (1874-1947) - Raccrocheuses

Rare etching by Edgar Chahine (1874-1947)

Origin: private collection

Edition: second condition, epreuve unique

Work is included in the catalogue raisonne of the artist (R. TABANELLI)

According to Bernard Amstrong who has spoken to Charles Sorrell (the world specialist for Chahine) about this etching, there was only one of these "epreuve unique", and that is the work that is offered here. The special thing about this epreuve unique is that it is, as the only one, in colour.

Edgar Chahine (1874-1947), emigrated in the year 1895 from Armenie to France. In that year he arrived with his mother in Paris. This was immediately after completing his education in Venice. Chahine's father, a wealthy banker, had stayed behind in Constantinople and offered mother and son a life without financial worries. Young Edgar took full advantage of this. While starting his artistic career as a painter, in 1899 he was fully familiar with the art of deep-printing. Chahine became a master of this, and combined etching with aquatint, often delineated in soft soil and added drying spots where necessary. He paid a lot of attention, especially as a young man, to the street life and its many characters. Like many of his colleagues, he also enjoyed depicting elegance. Together with Jacques Villon and Louis Legrand he is recognized as one of the most important etchers of the Belle Epoque in France.