Etching with original hand colouring, New York Music Hall, from Laborde''s collection Rues et visages de New-York, published circa 1932. plate: 7 5/8 in x 14 1/2 in within a modern black-stained oak frame. o.s: 20 3/4 in x 14 5/8 in Charles Laborde (1886-1941) was born in Buenos Aires to French parents, the family returning to Paris early in 1887. When aged 15 Laborde enrolled at the Acadamie Julian where he was taught by Troyer and Baschet. Laborde made many trips to London, sometimes with his friend Darrigan, and felt an immediate affinity with the English, even adopting the English abbreviation of his name; Chas.Early in his career he developed a reputation for satire and his affinity for the work of Toulouse-Lautrec, Gustave Dore, and Daumier is plain to see. He was a frequent and regular exhibitor at the Salon des Artistes Humoristes and a little later the Societe des Dessinateurs Humoristes.His first album of Rues et Visages was of Paris, published in 1926 followed in 1928 by London and in 1930 with Berlin. His reputation was growing and in the spring of 1932 was he was invited to New York by Conde Nast publications producing 15 plates for Vanity Fair. On his return to home he held a dozen sketch books from which he later produced Rues et Visages de New York.He died in occupied France, December 30th 1941.