JEAN-ETIENNE LIOTARD (1702-1789)

The present composition is a second version of the Large Self-Portrait, which the artist had produced a little earlier. It is considerably reduced in size and was intended for publication in Liotard's treatise Du clair-obscur published in 1781. Both prints are very rare. The last impression of the present, smaller plate was sold at Christie's in London on 8 April 2009 (GBP 11,250), and only two impressions of Large Self-Portrait have come to light in recent years, including a proof before letters which was sold at Christie's, New York, on 29 January 2019 (US$ 75,000).