“Diane Chasseresse (Diana the Huntress)” after Narcisse Díaz de la Peña (French, 1807–1876), c.1889 photogravure by Goupil & Co., 16×11 in.
A rare Edition de Luxe photogravure after Diane Chasseresse by Narcisse Díaz de la Peña, published by Goupil & Co. in 1889. This richly toned, museum-quality plate reproduces Díaz’s celebrated mythological masterpiece and was issued in a strictly limited subscriber edition of 104 copies, exemplifying the pinnacle of 19th-century French reproductive printmaking.
Artwork Description
This elegant photogravure reproduces Diane Chasseresse (Diana the Huntress), one of Narcisse Díaz de la Peña’s most admired mythological compositions. Diana strides forward in full frontal pose, nude and luminous, draped in warm ochre and ivory fabrics, accompanied by Cupid and four nymphs. A hunting dog springs forward in the foreground, reinforcing the classical symbolism of the goddess as protector of nature and the chase.
The plate is printed with soft, velvety tonal transitions, characteristic of the Goupil photogravure process, allowing painterly color depth and atmospheric nuance to remain intact. The image is captioned “DIANE CHASSERESSE”beneath the plate, with “N. DIAZ” printed above, and corresponds precisely to Plate No. 19 as documented in the Edition de Luxe catalogue text.
The accompanying descriptive leaf confirms:
Original painting dimensions: 46 × 22¾ inches
Signature on the original painting: “N. Diaz 49”
Exhibition history: Exposition des Cent Chefs-d’œuvre, Paris, 1883
This plate originates from the monumental Edition de Luxe: The Collection of Paintings by Modern and Old Masters, produced by MM. Boussod, Valadon & Co. (Paris) and John C. Yorston & Co. (New York), illustrated with 98 full-page photogravures by the Goupil process.
Artist Biography – Narcisse Díaz de la Peña
Narcisse Virgilio Díaz de la Peña (1807–1876) was a leading French Romantic painter and a central figure of the Barbizon School, renowned for his lush forest scenes, mythological subjects, and dramatic use of color and light.
Born in Bordeaux to Spanish parents, Díaz lost a leg to illness as a child, a hardship that profoundly shaped his artistic intensity and perseverance. Largely self-taught, he absorbed influences from Delacroix, Correggio, and Venetian colorists, while developing an expressive, emotionally charged style uniquely his own.
Though best known for landscapes, Díaz achieved major acclaim for mythological and allegorical figures such as Diana the Huntress, which fuse classical themes with Romantic sensuality. His works were widely collected during his lifetime, exhibited at the Paris Salon, and later celebrated in major retrospective exhibitions.
Díaz’s paintings were among those selected for “Les Cent Chefs-d’œuvre”, underscoring his lasting importance in 19th-century French art.
Printing & Technical Notes
Medium: Photogravure (heliogravure)
Process: Goupil & Co. proprietary photogravure method
Paper: Fine laid, edition-specific, deckled edges
Ink: Multi-tone photomechanical pigment inks
Plate Quality: Full-page, museum reproduction standard
Date: 1889 (Roman numeral MDCCCLXXXIX)
This is not a lithograph or serigraph — it is a true photogravure, identifiable by its continuous tonal gradation, painterly softness, and absence of dot structure or screen mesh.
Narcisse Díaz de la Peña (French, 1807–1876)
Diane Chasseresse (Diana the Huntress), c.1889
Photogravure after the original painting, 16 × 11 in.
Published by Goupil & Co., Edition de Luxe, limited to 104 copies.
Certificate of Value & Authentication
Artist: Narcisse Díaz de la Peña
Title: Diane Chasseresse (Diana the Huntress)
Medium: Original 19th-century photogravure
Publisher: Goupil & Co.
Edition: Edition de Luxe, Subscriber’s Copy (No. 35 documented)
Date: 1889
Condition: Very good antique condition with expected age toning
Authenticity: Guaranteed original period photogravure from the Goupil Edition de Luxe series
Provenance (Collector Format)
Published by MM. Boussod, Valadon & Co. / Goupil & Co., Paris & New York, 1889
Acquired via Mitch Morse Gallery, New York
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
“Diane Chasseresse (Diana the Huntress)” after Narcisse Díaz de la Peña (French, 1807–1876), c.1889 photogravure by Goupil & Co., 16×11 in.
A rare Edition de Luxe photogravure after Diane Chasseresse by Narcisse Díaz de la Peña, published by Goupil & Co. in 1889. This richly toned, museum-quality plate reproduces Díaz’s celebrated mythological masterpiece and was issued in a strictly limited subscriber edition of 104 copies, exemplifying the pinnacle of 19th-century French reproductive printmaking.
Artwork Description
This elegant photogravure reproduces Diane Chasseresse (Diana the Huntress), one of Narcisse Díaz de la Peña’s most admired mythological compositions. Diana strides forward in full frontal pose, nude and luminous, draped in warm ochre and ivory fabrics, accompanied by Cupid and four nymphs. A hunting dog springs forward in the foreground, reinforcing the classical symbolism of the goddess as protector of nature and the chase.
The plate is printed with soft, velvety tonal transitions, characteristic of the Goupil photogravure process, allowing painterly color depth and atmospheric nuance to remain intact. The image is captioned “DIANE CHASSERESSE”beneath the plate, with “N. DIAZ” printed above, and corresponds precisely to Plate No. 19 as documented in the Edition de Luxe catalogue text.
The accompanying descriptive leaf confirms:
Original painting dimensions: 46 × 22¾ inches
Signature on the original painting: “N. Diaz 49”
Exhibition history: Exposition des Cent Chefs-d’œuvre, Paris, 1883
This plate originates from the monumental Edition de Luxe: The Collection of Paintings by Modern and Old Masters, produced by MM. Boussod, Valadon & Co. (Paris) and John C. Yorston & Co. (New York), illustrated with 98 full-page photogravures by the Goupil process.
Artist Biography – Narcisse Díaz de la Peña
Narcisse Virgilio Díaz de la Peña (1807–1876) was a leading French Romantic painter and a central figure of the Barbizon School, renowned for his lush forest scenes, mythological subjects, and dramatic use of color and light.
Born in Bordeaux to Spanish parents, Díaz lost a leg to illness as a child, a hardship that profoundly shaped his artistic intensity and perseverance. Largely self-taught, he absorbed influences from Delacroix, Correggio, and Venetian colorists, while developing an expressive, emotionally charged style uniquely his own.
Though best known for landscapes, Díaz achieved major acclaim for mythological and allegorical figures such as Diana the Huntress, which fuse classical themes with Romantic sensuality. His works were widely collected during his lifetime, exhibited at the Paris Salon, and later celebrated in major retrospective exhibitions.
Díaz’s paintings were among those selected for “Les Cent Chefs-d’œuvre”, underscoring his lasting importance in 19th-century French art.
Printing & Technical Notes
Medium: Photogravure (heliogravure)
Process: Goupil & Co. proprietary photogravure method
Paper: Fine laid, edition-specific, deckled edges
Ink: Multi-tone photomechanical pigment inks
Plate Quality: Full-page, museum reproduction standard
Date: 1889 (Roman numeral MDCCCLXXXIX)
This is not a lithograph or serigraph — it is a true photogravure, identifiable by its continuous tonal gradation, painterly softness, and absence of dot structure or screen mesh.
Narcisse Díaz de la Peña (French, 1807–1876)
Diane Chasseresse (Diana the Huntress), c.1889
Photogravure after the original painting, 16 × 11 in.
Published by Goupil & Co., Edition de Luxe, limited to 104 copies.
Certificate of Value & Authentication
Artist: Narcisse Díaz de la Peña
Title: Diane Chasseresse (Diana the Huntress)
Medium: Original 19th-century photogravure
Publisher: Goupil & Co.
Edition: Edition de Luxe, Subscriber’s Copy (No. 35 documented)
Date: 1889
Condition: Very good antique condition with expected age toning
Authenticity: Guaranteed original period photogravure from the Goupil Edition de Luxe series
Provenance (Collector Format)
Published by MM. Boussod, Valadon & Co. / Goupil & Co., Paris & New York, 1889
Acquired via Mitch Morse Gallery, New York
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
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