Dupont's Ride (From the de Kock Series "Monsieur Dupont" volume 2)

John French Sloan

This etching, illustrating the novel "Monsieur Dupont" (1824) was published by The Frederick J. Quinby Company in Boston who decided to illustrate and publish the writings of French novelist Charles Paul deKock (1794-1871).

DeKock wrote a series of novels based on a main character, many of which were rewritten as theatrical works. His works acutely and emphatically depicted the lives of the Parisian "lower class". This etching illustrates his character Dupont, desperately clinging to a runaway horse as people watch helplessly and a child barely escapes to her mother's arms.

Quinby hired artist William Glackens to illustrate the series. He in turn hired the etchers, artists John Sloan, George Luks, Maurice Sterne, Louis Meynell, W.S. Potts, Charles Henry White and others. There were a total of 91 etchings done for the planned series that would be printed in a number of "editions" totaling 1000. Sloan contributed 53 etchings, Glackens 14 and the other 25 were done by the rest. 50 volumes were originally planned but only 42 were published.

Sloan usually printed these in 3 or 4 states, including one that had a 'remarque' and was often pencil signed. The remarque was removed for the final published edition of 1000.