Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Album of Prints by and after Claude Gillot

061. PML 198162, fols. 56v–57r
062. PML 198162, fols. 57v–58r
063. PML 198162, fols. 58v–59r
064. PML 198162, fols. 59v–60r
065. PML 198162, fols. 60v–61r
066. PML 198162, fols. 61v–62r
067. PML 198162, fols. 62v–63r
068. PML 198162, fols. 63v–64r
069. PML 198162, fols. 64v–65r
070. PML 198162, fols. 65v–66r
071. PML 198162, fols. 66v–67r
072. PML 198162, fols. 67v–68r
Drawing of six faces with different expressions.

Following Gillot’s death in 1722, the contents of his studio were sold and a large number of unfinished plates were acquired by print dealers, who finished them and published the prints throughout the 1720s and 30s and beyond. These print series were gathered into albums for sale to collectors around mid-century. Because the plates came directly from Gillot’s estate, albums often contain retouched proof impressions and proof states made while Gillot was working on the plates. These rare states are evidence that Gillot was more ambitious as a printmaker than the number of works in circulation during his lifetime would suggest. The Morgan’s album, containing 586 prints by and after Gillot mounted on 100 leaves, was bound in red morocco in Paris around 1750. After it was acquired by the Duke of Newcastle, his arms were added to the cover.