Who painted H Beard Print Collection?

H Beard Print Collection was painted by Sébastien Le Clerc in 1750.

Where can I see H Beard Print Collection?

H Beard Print Collection is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is H Beard Print Collection?

H Beard Print Collection is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

H Beard Print Collection

Sébastien Le Clerc , 1750

H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist Sébastien Le Clerc. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

This early eighteenth‑century etching, executed by French printmaker Sébastien Le Clerc the elder, depicts a theatrical tableau titled “Apotheosis of Isis.” The composition includes a figure identified as Mlle La Princesse de Bournonville, presented within the mythological setting.

Subject & Meaning

The work illustrates the deification of the Egyptian goddess Isis, a popular motif in European decorative arts that symbolized fertility and rebirth. By inserting the contemporary aristocrat Mlle La Princesse de Bournonville, the image merges classical myth with a portrait of a fashionable court figure, reflecting the era’s penchant for allegorical representation.

Technique & Style

Created through the etching process, Le Clerc employed fine line work to render intricate details of drapery, architecture, and the celestial atmosphere surrounding Isis. The style aligns with the early Rococo sensibility that followed the French Romantic period, emphasizing elegance and decorative flourish.

History & Provenance

The print forms part of the H Beard Print Collection, a private assemblage of eighteenth‑century works. It entered the collection before being acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it is now held in the museum’s prints and drawings department.

Context

During the 1700s, French artists frequently revisited classical and Egyptian themes, integrating them into contemporary court culture. Le Clerc’s etching reflects this trend, serving both as a decorative piece and as a record of a specific social figure within a mythological framework.