Victor-Jean Adam Hand-colored lithograph 19th century Riders Meet Clothesline

Victor-Jean Adam (1801 - 1866)

Riders Meet Clothesline

Hand-colored lithograph

This is a rare, original, unusually whimsical, hand-colored lithograph by Victor-Jean Adam  a French lithographer and painter, known primarily for his military- and equine-related subjects. He was born in Paris in 1801, the son of Jean Adam, a noted engraver. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in 1814-18, and also in the ateliers of Meynier and Régnault. In 1819 he exhibited "Herminia Succouring Tancred". He was almost immediately afterwards employed to paint various subjects for the Museum at Versailles, including "The Entry of the French into Mainz", "The Battle of Varroux", "The Taking of Menin", "The Battle of Castiglione", "The Passage of the Cluse", "The Battle of Montebello" and "The Capitulation of Meiningen'"

He continued to exhibit until 1838, his subjects including Henry IV, "After the Battle of Coutras", "Trait of Kindness in the Duke de Berri", "The Postillion", "The Vivandiere", "The Road to Poissy", "The Return from the Chase", "Horse-fair at Caen", and many others. He then disappeared from public view until 1846, when he exhibited some lithographs, dedicating himself to the medium from then on. In this line he produced a lithographic album, "Views in the Environs of Paris", and "Studies of Animals" for an edition of Buffon. He died at Viroflay, France in 1866.

This particular print is an unusually comical one for Adam and shows not only his skill in depicting horses, but also a deft use of color.  At first glance, the lithograph appears black and white on off-white paper, but there are also subtle touches of brown, green, yellow, red, and pink (check out the horses' eyes and nostrils). 

In excellent condition with some discolored spots to the far right of the image (see photos). 15" x 9.5" (etching) in a 18.5" x 12.5" wooden frame, under glass.