Henri Guérard

Guérard was commissioned to etch this invitation for the Diner Dentu, a party held regularly for the literary and artistic elite of 19th-century Paris. His design includes trompe l’oeil fragments of the artist’s calling card, one of his own prints depicting boats, letterhead of the hosting restaurant, and a guest list. Because the invitations had limited distribution, they were highly sought after at the time by collectors, who could only find them through personal connections.