I collect and sell the works of French artist and etcher Emile Leroy (1887-1944). His prints portray Paris and its environs. The quality is better than many tourist market etchings of the period and evidence a real love of architecture.
People and trappings of the period, cars, vendors, etc. are mainly absent from his work. In an era when many Paris etchers choose to have their work hand colored, Leroi's was in black and white. His etching had bold titles that announce the location. These titles are done "in the plate" instead of being written by hand.
Research indicates that his studio was located on rue du Moulin in Caen France. Caen is a port city in northern France in the Normandy region. It takes about 3 hours to travel from this city to Paris. The website Drouot sold the brass plaque that was originally affixed to the exterior of his studio. It was embossed with the words Emile Leroi Artiste-Graveur.
Here is a sampling of the works by Emile Leroi that I have sold in the past:
 |
| Notre Dame De Paris_La Grande Galerie |
 |
| Paris Chimeres Le Notre Dame |
 |
| Porte des Cordeliers, Falaise |
 |
| Boat on Seine with Notre Dame Cathedral in background. Untitled! |
 |
| Honfleur Clocher Ste Catherine |
 |
| Caen - Old Door Ste Gilles |
I recently purchased a small lot of his etchings and they were all printed on paper watermarked Normandy Vellum. How appropriate since he worked in the region! The back of gargoyle print still had the label from the shop that sold it. The label reads "Au Jongleur Notre-Dame, 8
Rue Cloître Notre Dame, Paris".
 |
| Sellers label |
 |
| Paper with Normandy Vellum watermark (color of the paper enhanced to show mark). |
