Charles-François Dupuis (1742–1809) - Set of 2 engravings - Tableaux de Mithra & Calendrier d’Isis

SET OF TWO ORIGINAL ENGRAVINGS — MITHRAS AND THE CALENDAR OF ISIS AT NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS — PARIS AND BRUSSELS, 1822
Original pair of French copper engravings published in Paris and Brussels in 1822 for Charles-François Dupuis’ Origine de tous les cultes, ou Religion universelle.
The two consecutive plates bring together four representations of Mithras and the bull, and a remarkable illustrated calendar associated by Dupuis with Isis, the Virgin and the sculpted portal of Notre-Dame de Paris.

THE TWO ENGRAVINGS

PLATE XVII — TABLEAUX DE MITHRA
Four distinct compositions devoted to Mithras and the bull occupy this richly detailed landscape plate. Each presents a different arrangement of the central figures and their surrounding symbols.
Look closely at the smaller details: figures bearing torches, radiant celestial heads, birds, a serpent and other animals appear around the bull. In one scene, symbols are dispersed across the space above Mithras; in another, tiny figures form a narrow procession above the main image. These variations make the plate especially rewarding to examine at close range.

PLATE XVIII — CALENDRIER D’ISIS, OU DE LA VIERGE
A striking portrait-format composition based on calendar imagery sculpted on a portal of Notre-Dame de Paris. A crowned Virgin holding the Child stands at its centre, with a winding branch beneath her feet. Around them, small engraved panels depict zodiacal animals, human figures and seasonal activities.
The miniature scenes contain an unusual wealth of detail: a lion, a crayfish, grazing animals, figures gathering or carrying produce, and people engaged in everyday work. Their orderly arrangement gives the plate the appearance of a visual calendar while offering dozens of individual scenes to discover.
Dupuis called this subject the Calendrier d’Isis, ou de la Vierge. The title reflects his interpretation of the relationship between ancient religious symbolism and Christian imagery; the central figure shown in the engraving is the Virgin and Child of Notre-Dame.

A COHERENT PAIR: MITHRAS AND THE CALENDAR OF ISIS
These consecutive plates show Dupuis applying the same comparative approach to two very different sources: ancient images of Mithras and the bull, and the medieval calendar imagery of Notre-Dame de Paris.
For Dupuis, celestial symbols and the annual cycle offered a way to interpret religious images across cultures. Plate XVII gathers four versions of the Mithraic scene, with their accompanying animals and celestial signs. Plate XVIII turns to the Virgin and Child, the zodiac and the labours of the seasons, in a composition he titled Calendrier d’Isis, ou de la Vierge.
Their visual contrast is part of the interest of the pair: together, they illustrate how Dupuis connected ancient and Christian imagery in his influential study of the history of religions.

RARITY AND COLLECTOR’S INTEREST
Both engravings belong to the same 1822 publication and form a coherent pair for collectors interested in Mithraism, the history of religions, zodiacal imagery, medieval sculpture and the iconography of Notre-Dame de Paris.
Plate XVIII is especially distinctive for its combination of the Virgin and Child with detailed representations of animals and seasonal work. Plate XVII rewards equally close inspection through the changing arrangements and symbolic details of its four Mithraic scenes.

PUBLICATION DETAILS
Author: Charles-François Dupuis (1742–1809)
Engraver: François-Louis Couché, called Couché fils (1782–1849)
Work: Origine de tous les cultes, ou Religion universelle
Publisher: Librairie Historique d’Émile Babeuf
Place of publication: Paris and Brussels
Date: 1822
Technique: Copper engraving on period paper
Plate numbers: XVII and XVIII
DIMENSIONS
Each sheet measures approximately 30.5 × 22.8 cm; plate XVII is landscape format and plate XVIII portrait format.

CONDITION
Good antique condition, with clear impressions and generous margins. Both engraved compositions are complete and well preserved.
The sheets show light age-related toning, occasional small marks and natural irregularities to the outer edges. Plate XVII has a few small nicks and short marks along its upper edge. Plate XVIII has a noticeable pale stain or tide mark in the upper left margin, above the engraved figures. The versos are blank.
Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the condition description.

SHIPPING
Carefully packed flat with rigid protection. Tracked and insured shipping.