Portret van Athanase-Charles Coquerel

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228a

Art Historical Context

**Portret van Athanase-Charles Coquerel is a striking lithographic portrait created by Georges Alexandre Fischer between 1848 and 1849. Measuring 376 mm high by 258 mm wide, this print captures the likeness of Athanase-Charles Coquerel, a French Protestant pastor, preacher, and religious historian known for his eloquent sermons and writings on theology during a turbulent era. Produced in the wake of the 1848 Revolution in France, the artwork reflects the period's fascination with capturing the faces of influential public figures amid social and political upheaval. Lithography, the medium here, revolutionized 19th-century printmaking by allowing artists like Fischer—active in portraiture—to produce detailed, tonal images with the fluidity of drawing directly on stone. This technique made high-quality reproductions affordable and accessible, democratizing portraiture beyond elite oil paintings and fostering a visual culture of celebrity for intellectuals and leaders like Coquerel. Verso, the print bears a collector's mark (Lugt 2228a), signaling its provenance from a distinguished European collection, likely preserved in a major institution today. This detail underscores the artwork's enduring value as both a historical document and a technical marvel, inviting visitors to appreciate how 19th-century lithography bridged art and everyday dissemination of ideas.

About the Artist

Georges Alexandre Fischer · 1820–1890

Georges Alexandre Fischer was born on November 21, 1820, in Paris's 12th arrondissement, into a period of artistic ferment in the French capital. He received his formal training at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts de Paris, where he studied under the renowned history painter Paul Delaroche, whose influence likely shaped Fischer's meticulous approach to figure and narrative composition. Though ...