Seeking information on The Devil and the Nuns etching

Hello all,


I am hoping to gain some additional information on an etching that I recently acquired. The Devil and the Nuns etched by Mons. F. Ruet




The etching is 32 x 25 with frame, upper left corner says “London. Published 1908 by The Fine art Society Ld. 148 New Bond Street”.


Bottom left corner says “painted by F. Cadogen Cowper A.R.A.”


Bottom right corner “etched by Mons. F. Ruet” This is all written very small.


The title is below the on plate signature in the lower right corner in what I’ve read to be described as copperplate script “The Devil and the Nuns” and below that, same font but smaller,

“How the Devil disguised as a vagrant troubadour , having been entertained by some charitable nuns, sang to them a song of love”




The packing paper was torn some time ago, and the paper is very brittle.

The date 10/17/52 with a question mark is written in pencil on the back. I do not know if the back of the actual etching has anything written on it, I tried to look for an indentation from the front, but couldn’t make anything out.




I was unable to find any other information or other works by F. Ruet, other than mentions of the etching in two books. The Studio Volume 43-45 https://books.google.com/books?id=Q...=onepage&q=Devil and the nuns F. Ruet&f=false



and The International Studio volume 36
https://books.google.com/books?id=L...=onepage&q=Devil and the nuns F. Ruet&f=false

Which is the same word for word...

It mentions that F. Ruet had been “...very successful in translating Meissonier’s pictures by this medium…”


Louis Ruet was the only Ruet that I could find that etched Meissonier works.


Thank you in advance for any insight.

 

You have so much information already. What additional information are you hoping to find?

Debora

 

This is interesting...

"The window is a faithful copy of the 15th Century stained glass in the west window of Fairford Church, Gloucestershire."

Debora

 

And the painting itself is in a private collection.

Debora

 

I am looking for any information related to the etching.
I was unable to find anything else on artist F. Ruet, outside of those two mentions. I read that Louis Ruet had done an etching for The Fine art Society of the Devil and The Nuns during this time.
Was it common practice back then for two artists to be commissioned by the same gallery to reproduce the same piece in the same time frame?

 

.

 

Why don't you ask the Fine Art Society? They're still in business.

Debora

 

No, but the sig on the left is usually the creator of the original usually the painting etc) and the sig on the right, the engraver. That is normal and actually what you have here.

 

I think the confusion is that the engraver's name is given as F. Fuet here and elsewhere Louis Fuet is credited as the engraver. Louis Fuet is a well-known engraver but no period mention of F. Fuet can be found except in the two cited publications.

Debora

 

I think I might. They moved from the New bond street location, but yes, they're still in business.

 

Yes! That has driven me crazy!

 

Do you happen to know if Louis Ruet ever signed his work as F. Ruet?

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/frank-cowper-pre-raphaelite-devil-1497833786
lovely.

 

fuet ruet fru-it and then glue it

 

The F. Ruet that you see is not a signature by the etcher. It is printed there by the Fine Art Society. It's possible (and I think probable) that there is a typographic error. All other evidence indicates Louis Ruet as the etcher.

So, contacting them to see if they have any records still related to this would be a good idea.

 

I think might be a typo too.

Debora

 

Thanks,

I did see this, and was tempted to create a worthpoint account. I had attempted to view this through ebay.. but was unsuccessful. It looks like their frame is covering any possible indents made by a plate. But I can't be sure.

Is it worth it to get a worthpoint subscription?

 

Thanks,
I'll be sure to post my results after contacting them.

 

I think I may have lost to you in this auction (Nov., 2019?). If so, congratulations! (I was SO disappointed.)

When I was researching the piece, I found the original song that (may have) inspired the work. Have you seen it yet? The earliest copy I found was in The New Monthly Magazine, 1822, p. 314 (https://books.google.com/books?id=v...A314#v=onepage&q="devil and the nuns"&f=false), and it was reprinted in the Commonplace Book of British Song, 1823 (https://books.google.com/books?id=T...onepage&q="devil and the nuns" cowper&f=false). It's a fun song! Check it out!

And if you ever decide to sell the piece, I'll be interested!

BP