Blind Man's Buff (Le Colin-Maillard)
Hand-colored stipple engraving/print on paper • After Angelika Kauffmann or Jean-Honoré Fragonard style; likely engraved by Francesco Bartolozzi or a similar contemporary printmaker
Style & Movement
Neoclassical / Rococo transition; specifically an English or French sentimental genre scene
Medium & Technique
Stipple engraving with hand-coloring; characterized by dots and small strokes to create tonal gradation, popular for reproducing neoclassical paintings
Creation Period
Late 18th Century to Early 19th Century (c. 1780-1810)
Dimensions & Format
Circular tondo format; approximately 12 to 14 inches in diameter (estimated from frame)
Subject Description
Three figures in Classical or pastoral dress playing the traditional game of 'Blind Man's Buff' in a wooded landscape. A blindfolded woman reaches out toward a man, while another woman watches or guides him. It represents themes of courtship, chance, and innocent leisure common in Enlightenment era print culture.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good to Fair; visible toning of the paper and possible water spotting or foxing underneath the glass
Estimated Market Value
$150 - $400 USD
Auction Estimate
$100 - $250 USD
Provenance History
Unknown; housed in a high-quality 19th-century gilt gesso frame which suggests it was part of a formal domestic collection or estate
Art Historical Significance
Represents the 18th-century craze for stipple engravings which made 'high art' accessible to the middle class. Such prints were highly fashionable for interior decoration in Georgian England and Pre-Revolutionary France.
Notable Features
Decorative gilt frame with floral motifs; tondo (circular) composition within a square frame; soft, stippled texture distinctive of late 18th-century printmaking
Condition Issues
Paper yellowing (acidic mat/backing), minor foxing, slight fading of hand-applied pigments from UV exposure, and minor gesso loss on the frame
Conservation Recommendations
Remount using acid-free archival matting and UV-protective museum glass. Ensure the backing is acid-free to prevent further 'burning' of the paper