Bertin Collection

Capriccio Landscape, by Jean Victor Bertin (1767-1842). Date: circa 1810

Monkeys gathering leaves from tea bushes high on a mountain and delivering them to their master. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon

Portrait of the composer and poet Louise Bertin (1805-1877). Creator: Mottez, Victor-Louis (1809-1897)
Portrait of the composer and poet Louise Bertin (1805-1877). Private Collection

Portrait of the composer and poet Louise Bertin (1805-1877), 1841. Creator: Amaury-Duval, Eugène Emmanuel (1808-1885)
Portrait of the composer and poet Louise Bertin (1805-1877), 1841. Private Collection

Stage design for the Opera "La Esmeralda" by Louise Bertin, 1836. Found in the collection of the Bibliotheque Nationale de France

French mime Charles-Francois Mazurier as Polichinello, 1823
French comic dancer and mime artist Charles-Francois Mazurier as Polichinello in Polichinelle Vampire by Theodore de Banville at the Theatre de la Porte Saint-Martin, 1823

Tartar soldiers, Qing Dynasty China
Tartar soldiers going to mount guard at the palace gates, Qing Dynasty China. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste Bertin

Chinese rice mill with blindfolded mules turning a millstone, Qing Dynasty. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste Bertin

Chinese toy seller and boys playing Jianzi, Qing Dynasty
Chinese itinerant toy seller and boys playing Jianzi by kicking a shuttlecock, Qing Dynasty. The toy man holds a bamboo stick with three small puppets

Embroiderer working on two pieces of silk cloth, Qing Dynasty. One with a bird for a civil mandarin, one with a quadruped animal for a military mandarin

Chinese artillery, QIng Dynasty
Chinese artillery: cannon with narrow muzzle like a musket, Chinese style culverine and large-bore cannon on wheels. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon

The Soul of Saint Bertin carried up to God (from the St Bertin Altarpiece), ca 1459. Found in the collection of the National Gallery, London

Impersonator M. R. Bertin in an imitation of Mme Anna Thibaud
The famousFrench female impersonator M.R. Bertin in an imitation of Mme Anna Thibaud Date: Pre-1920s

The famous female impersonator M. R. Bertin
The famous female impersonator M.R. Bertin in an imitation of Tan-Ichi Date: Pre-1920s

Impersonator M. R. Bertin in an imitation of Clotilde Algeria
The famous French female impersonator M.R. Bertin in an imitation of Clotilde Algeria Date: Pre-1920s

The famous French female impersonator M. R. Bertin as himself
The famous French female impersonator M.R. Bertin as himself Date: Pre-1920s

Rose Bertin Advertisement
Advertisement for Rose Bertin, London's smartest hat shop'. Picture shows a very well dressed lady wearing a hat created in 1782 by Rose Bertin herself, who was Milliner to Marie Antoinette

Edouard Bertin (engraving)
816159 Edouard Bertin (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Edouard Bertin (1797 - 1871)

French actor Bertin as Zug in the historical melodrama Pauvre Berger by Daubigny, Carmouche and Hyacinthe at the Theatre du Panorama Dramatique, 1823

Water cart for the Imperial Family, Qing Dynasty China. The wagon is loaded with cubical tin vessels filled with river water

Porcelain factory in China, Qing Dynasty. Workers painting dishes by hand while another brings more plates. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon

Chinese lamp on a chair stand and wax candles, Qing Dynasty
Chinese lamp on a chair stand and wax candles made of tallow from the tallow tree, Triadica sebifera, Qing Dynasty. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon

Chinese seller of sugar hares and a truck
Chinese seller of sugar hares or mooncakes at the 4th moon, and truck to carry Chinese wine, beer brewed from millet, Qing Dynasty

Chinese pleasure junk, Qing Dynasty. Pleasure boat with latticed windows and large cabins, usually rowed or pulled. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon

Chinese junk, Qing Dynasty. Flat-bottomed, three-masted ship with compartmentalized hold. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste

Great weighing machine or steelyard, Qing Dynasty. The man weighs items brought to him by customers. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon

Chinese soldiers, Qing Dynasty China. One beating the evening watch on a bamboo cylinder, the other holding a lantern. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon

Chinese swan pan or abacus, and pottery shop, Qing Dynasty. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste Bertin

Chinese woman reeling silk thread from wild silkworms, Bombyx mori, Qing Dynasty. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste Bertin

Chinese men cormorant fishing on a raft in the river, Qing Dynasty. Fishing cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon

Chinese men hunting wild ducks with decoy gourd hats in the river, Qing Dynasty. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste Bertin

Rice-straw cloak, sandals, Chinese woman s
Rice-straw cloak, wood and straw sandals, Chinese womans bound foot and boot. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste Bertin

Chinese labourer with umbrella and peasant
Chinese labourer with bamboo-and-paper umbrella and peasant in rice-straw cape, QIng Dynasty. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon

Chinese men winnowing rice with sieves, Qing Dynasty
Chinese men sifting and winnowing rice with sieves, Qing Dynasty. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste Bertin

Chinese lady with her children in her house, Qing Dynasty. She sits embroidering in an alcove next to a window on the garden

Chinese mountebank riding a boat on land, Qing Dynasty
Chinese mountebank riding a boat on land accompanied by a musician playing a recorder, Qing Dynasty. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon

A Mandarin (magistrate) of the Fifth Class going to court in full dress, Qing Dynasty China. Robe with an embroidered square indicating his rank

Chinese puppet show, Qing Dynasty. The puppeteer is completely hidden inside a curtained theatre and works the puppets in a window above his head

Chinese wrestler and automaton and a tom-tom player, Qing Dynasty. Street performer wrestling with a human-size pasteboard puppet

Chinese juggler keeping a 100-foot long ribbon floating in the air, Qing Dynasty. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste Bertin

Chinese seller of paper kites, Qing Dynasty. Kites in the shape of winged men, birds, snakes and a great bell. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by William Milton after Antoine Cardon

Chinese toy seller and boy riding a pasteboard
Chinese itinerant toy seller and boy riding a pasteboard horse, Qing Dynasty. The toy man plays a gong and his basket includes toy soldiers, bow and arrow, masks, feathers, etc

Itinerant Chinese barber ringing finger bells to find customers, QIng Dynasty. He carries a stool and bucket on a bamboo yoke, along with razor, scissors, strop, etc

Chinese youth alighting from his carriage to salute a friend of his father s, Qing Dynasty. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste

Chinese jack of all trades with bamboo yoke, tools, portable forge, Qing Dynasty. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste Bertin

Carriage of the Kong Tchou, the Qing Emperor s
Carriage of the Kong Tchou, the Qing Emperors eldest daughter. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste Bertin

Chinese tinker with portable forge, bellows and tools, Qing Dynasty. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste Bertin

Chinese pedlar and tobacconist, Qing Dynasty. The pedlar wears a bamboo lattice shop with handkerchiefs, ribbons, purses, etc. The tobacconist has set up a street stall selling tobacco and snuff

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"Bertin: A Multifaceted Talent and Enigmatic Figure" Jean Victor Bertin, a renowned artist of his time, captured the essence of nature in his masterpiece "Capriccio Landscape. " His brushstrokes brought to life serene landscapes that transported viewers into a world of tranquility. In an unexpected twist, M. R. Bertin emerged as an impersonator extraordinaire. With astonishing skill, he transformed himself into various iconic figures such as Mme Anna Thibaud and Clotilde Algeria. The stage became his canvas, where he painted vivid portraits through captivating performances. But it wasn't just on stage that M. R. Bertin left a mark; even offstage, he made headlines with his undeniable talent. As himself or disguised as famous personalities like Rose Bertin, this French female impersonator captivated audiences with every appearance. Meanwhile, in far-off lands, scenes unfolded that seemed worlds apart from the glamourous theaters where Bertin performed. Monkeys gathering leaves from tea bushes high up in the mountains showcased nature's playful side while revealing its intricate connection to our daily lives. The Qing Dynasty came alive through snapshots of Chinese culture – blindfolded mules tirelessly turning rice mills and toy sellers engaging young boys in spirited games of Jianzi. These glimpses into everyday life reminded us of the beauty found within simplicity. Amidst these diverse settings and characters lies another craft - embroidery. An embroiderer delicately working on two pieces of silk demonstrated patience and precision passed down through generations—a testament to human creativity manifesting itself in artistry beyond boundaries. Finally, we encounter Chinese artillery from the same era—powerful machines symbolizing strength but also reminding us of the consequences they bring forth when wielded without wisdom or compassion. Bertin's story intertwines artistry across cultures and eras—an enigmatic figure who defied categorization yet left an indelible mark on each canvas he touched.