Fine large lithograph by Charles Baugniet (1814-1886) of the Portuguese child prodigy pianist and composer aged 8-1/2. With an autograph inscription signed "Arthur Napoleon" and dated April 17, 1856, Strasbourg in ink to lower right portion of mount
[?Paris]: Printed by M & N Hanhart.
442 x 340 mm. + wide margins. Signed by the artist in the stone. Oval. A fine impression on chine-appliqué, laid down. With printed titling to mount: "Arthur Napoleon The Young Portuguese Pianist, Eight Years & Half Old. Honorary Member of The Philharmonic Societies of Lisbon & Oporto."
Some foxing to mount; inscription slightly faded; remnants of hinges to upper corners of verso.
Very rare. BNF Catalogue Générale Inventaire 8454338.
"[Napoleão] made his first concert appearance in Lisbon at the age of seven and then toured Europe, playing for kings and Napoleon III. In London he studied with Hallé, and in Paris with Herz. In Berlin Meyerbeer presented him at court in 1854 and in Weimar he was praised by Liszt." He first toured Brazil in August of 1857, made another concert tour which included the U.S., the settled in Rio de Janeiro in 1866. He founded the publishing house Narciso and Artur Napoleão in 1878, and "provided a significant stimulation to Brazilian musical production for about a century... The critic Alfredo Camarate said that Napoleão resembled Chopin in the sweetness of his playing and Liszt in his bravura. He composed an opera, O remorso vivo (1866), orchestral works, songs, and piano pieces. He also wrote études of pianistic techniques based on those of Cramer." Gerard Béhague in Grove Music Online.
Item #27564
Price: $1,800.00 other currencies