Etching, drypoint and roulette printed in dark brownish black on Japon vergé mince appliqué, 1833. 143x190 mm; 5 5/8x7 1/2 inches, full margins. First state (of 6), before the completion and beveling of the plate. Printed by Delâtre, Paris. Before publication by Cadart and Luquet, Paris, for the Société des Aquafortistes. A brilliant, early and richly-inked impression.
Delteil cites only 4-5 other impressions of the extremely scarce first state, one of which is in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.
Provenance: Alexis Hubert Rouart, ink stamp verso (Lugt 2187a).
Alexis Hubert Rouart (1839-1911) was among the foremost Delacroix (1798-1863) collectors of his day, having acquired many works directly from the Delacroix estate sale in 1864-65. He also owned a pen and ink and wash drawing of this subject by Delacroix (see Escholier, Delacroix, 1926-29, volume II, page 66). Delteil 20.
