77/5309 Bresdin, R. (1825-1885). La comédie de la mort. Lithograph, 21,9x15,1 cm., signed "Bresdin 1854" on the stone, w. the address of "Bertrand r st. Rome 50, Toulouse".

- Sl. agetoned; sm. closed tear in left blank margin near upper corner; sl. dust- and fingersoiled in margins; tipped onto mount.

= Van Gelder 84, I "troisième tirage", without the name, year, title and the printer's name of Barthère. Van Gelder states that he is not sure if this 3rd printing that he recorded (only one copy in the Hamburg Kunsthalle) is not just a variation of the 2nd printing. He suggests that the 3rd printing could be a proof by Lemercier printed in 1861 in Paris (to where Bresdin moved in 1858). However, our copy is identical to the copy in the collection of the Hamburg Kunsthalle (verified). Van Gelder states furthermore that in 1856, the original printer's duo of Bertrand and Barthère ceased operations together and only Bertrand is registered as lithographer (Van Gelder, catalogue, p.35). Which is why the name of Barthère is removed. It could be that Bertrand printed some copies with and without the title between 1856 and 1858. "Bien que Bresdin n'ait jamais modifié ni compléte la composiition de cette lithographie, seules les rares épreuves des cinq ou six premiers tirages témoignent de cette clarté parfaite que Bresdin recherchait dans ses dessins sur pierre" (Van Gelder, p.35). SEE ILLLUSTRATION PLATE XCV.