Camille Pissarro

La Sarcleuse Delteil-Cailac 72, Leymarie & Melot 71 etching with drypoint, 1887 (?), on medium-weight cream laid paper, with the Van Gelder watermark, a superb impression of the 2nd state (of 2), with rich burr, signed, titled, numbered "n° 6" (over the partly erased mention of "2e état") and annotated "imprimé par F. Jacques (sic*)/ Epreuve d'artiste" in pencil by the artist, with full margins, from the rare edition of only 12 impressions of this state made during the artist's lifetime, in exceptionally fresh condition   P. 163x110 mm., S. 361x250 mm.

Provenance: A private parisian collection

In 1884, Pissarro settled in Eragny-sur Epte with his family, and his interest in country life was unceasing. The subject of a woman weeding is one of many daily farm chores that he treated in various media over the years.

There is an impression of the first state in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (see https://collections.ashmolean.org/object/403837), which appears to be the impression cited by Delteil.

*  As Pissarro did not yet have a printing press at hand in Eragny, he relied on other well-versed peintres-graveurs to print his plates.  Frédéric Jacque, who had learned the art of printmaking from his father, Charles Jacque, regularly worked with Pissarro in this capacity.