Johann Lorenz Haid’s mezzotint, “Man with a Magnifying Glass”, c1740, after Giovanni Battista Piazzetta

Johann Lorenz Haid (1702–1750)

“Man with a Maynifying Glass” (descriptive title only), c1740, after Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (aka Giambattista Piazzetta) (1682–1754), published by Johann Christian Leopold (1699–1755) in Augsburg.

Mezzotint on laid paper (with watermark), trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline and writing edge.

Size: (sheet) 38.9 x 27.5 cm; (image borderline) 37.4 x 26.9 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Iohann Baptista Piazzetta/ Venetus delineavit”; (left of centre) “Lorenz Haid/ sculpsit”; (centre) “Cum Gratia et Privilegio Sacræ Caesareae/ Majestatis”; (right) “Iohann Christian Leopold excudit/ Augustæ Vindelicorum”

Condition: richly inked and well-printed impression, trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline and writing edge. The sheet has minor handling fractures, marks and creases to the edges, otherwise the sheet is in excellent condition for its considerable age with no significant tears, holes, stains or foxing,

I am selling this spectacular mezzotint showing a man wearing a feathered hat examining the viewer with a magnifying glass—I would like to call it a loupe but as the device has a handle I feel obliged to call it a magnifying glass—for the total cost of AU$445 (currently US$328.78/EUR276/GBP235.51 at the time of posting this print) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this marvellous example of how a print can excite a reflexive response in viewers, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold

Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s etching “Towers which Fortify the Wall”, 1762

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720–1788)

“Towers which Fortify the Wall” (aka “VIII. Fig. II. A.Torri di cui son munite le mura ...”), plate VIII (8), Fig. 11, from the series, “Le Antichità” (Roman Antiquities)”, initially published in Rome in volume 1 by Angelo Rotili (fl.1749–1766) in 1756–57, this lifetime impression is from the 2^nd edition published in 1784 by GB Piranesi in Rome. 

Etching on laid paper coeval with the date of publication (3 cm chainlines, but without showing the watermark, “double circle and lily with letters CB”) with wide margins, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 24.1 x 37 cm; (plate) 13.6 x 20.1; (image borderline) 19.6 x 13.1 cm.

Numbered and lettered in plate: (upper right corner) “Fig. II”; (lower right) “A. Torri di cui son munite le mura. B. Arcuazione interio:/ re delle medesime per uso delle Sentinelle C. Comuniazion/ da un’arco all'altro. D. Feritoje corrispondenti nell'esterno. E/ Piano di Roma anteriore alla costruzione delle mura Aurelia:/ nensi. F. Piano di Roma, o sia terrapieno fatto alle mura da Au:/ reliano, colle rovine degli Edifizj che ingombravano il luogo e le vi:/ cinanze della mura./ Piranesi Archit. dis. Inc”; (following indexed locations in image): “A” to “F”.

Wilton Ely I.293 (John Wilton-Ely 1994, “Giovanni Battista Piranesi, The Complete Etchings”, vol. 1, San Francisco, Alan Wofsy, p. 343, cat. no. 293); Taschen/Ficacci 149 (Luigi Ficacci 2011, “ Piranesi: The Complete Etchings”, vol. 1, Cologne, Taschen, p. 167, cat. no. 149); Focillon 20.A.158; Giesecke 116; Hind 83.

Condition: a richly inked, well-printed, near faultless lifetime impression with wide margins laid upon a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. Beyond two spots of thinness from past mounting (now removed) and a pencil notation of the cat. no., the sheet is in almost pristine condition with no tears, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this small(ish) but visually arresting etching by one of the most important printmakers of the 18^th century, for AU$304 (currently US$224.54/EUR189.29/GBP161.08 at the time of this listing) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this strong and beautiful etching, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold

Jérôme David’s engraving, “Jacob's Return to Isaac”, c1650, after Cochin & Raphael

Jérôme David (aka Hieronymus David) (c1605–c1670)—attribution based on this artist’s ligature monogram (see https://archive.org/details/engravingstheirv00slat/page/294/mode/2up) shown on the stone in the lower left corner

“Jacob's Return to Isaac” (aka “Comme Jacob retōrne vers son Pere Isaac”; “As Jacob returns to his Father Isaac”), c1650, after the intermediary design by Cochin (as inscribed in plate)—presumably Nicolas Cochin (1610–1686)— after Raphael's (aka Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino) (1483–1520) fresco (1518–1519) in the second Loggia at the Vatican (Apostolic Palace), published in Paris by Louis Boissevin (aka Lou Boißeuin) (c1610–1685).

The portrayed scene illustrates the biblical passage in Genesis 31:17–18:

“17 Then Jacob put his children and wives on camels. 18 He drove all his livestock ahead of him. He also took with him everything he had acquired in Paddan Aram. He left to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.” (New International Reader's Version [NIRV])

Engraving on laid paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 33 x 42.5 cm; (plate) 31.2 x 40.1 cm; (image borderline) 28.5 x 39.7 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline with ligature monogram of Jérôme David on stone at lower left corner.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Iacob impositis liberis ac coniugibus suis super Camelos abiit tulitqʒ [que] omnem/ Substantiam suam et greges pergens ad Isaac patrem sum in terram Chanam/ Genes.Cap.31./ Cochin Inuent.”; (centre) “Comme Iacob retōrne/ vers son Pere Isaac.”; (right) “Iacob ayant …/ …/ … le Saluer. En la Gene. Chap. 31/ A Paris chez Lou. Boißeuin à la rue St. Iaques à l’image de Ste. Geneuiesue proche la fontain St Seuerin”.

Condition: a strong and well-printed early impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate with small margins laid upon a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There are signs of handling, otherwise the sheet is in an excellent condition for its considerable age.

I am selling this large and exceptionally rare engraving that seems to be undocumented in the major museum repositories—note, however, that there are a number of copies of Raphael’s frescoes (see for example Cesare Fantettiin’s 1675 etching: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1867-1012-435)—for the total cost of AU$272 (currently US$199.87/EUR169.19/GBP143.94 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this amazing engraving—my eye, for instance, keeps returning to the curved lines rendering only one of the clouds (possibly to make it appear to advance) and the elegant legs of the camel on the far left—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold

André Paul Guilmet’s etching, “Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette”, after Renoir

André Paul Guilmet (1853–1928)

“Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette” (aka “Bal du moulin de la Galette”), c1880, after Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s (1841-1919) famous painting executed in 1876, collection of the Musée d'Orsay, printed by Albert Marie Jérôme Quantin (1850–1930) in Paris. I have not been able to locate the publication in which this etching features.

Etching on cream laid paper with flattened creases of the publication gatefold and full margins backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 28 x 37.5 cm; (plate [very light]) 21.2 x 25.2 cm; (image borderline) 17.9 x 23.2 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Renoir del./ Imp. A. Quantin”; (right) Guilmet sc.”

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed impression with flattened publication gatefold creases laid upon a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There is thinning to the paper along the flattened gatefold crease in the right margin, otherwise the sheet is in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this fascinating and well-executed translation of Renoir’s famous painting into etched line—note in particular Guilmet’s interpretative approach to reproducing Renoir’s loose brushwork representing the sheen of the dress worn by the young lady dancing with her beau on the left and the curiously interesting “loss” of the little girl in the lower left (amongst many other "losses")—for the total cost of AU$234 (currently US$172.26/EUR146.16/GBP124.96 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this rarely seen etching—it is so rare that I have been unable to locate a copy of this print in any of the major repositories!—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold

Charles Nicolas Cochin I & Nicolas Le Sueur’s, “La Calomnie, peinte par Apelles”, 1729

Charles Nicolas Cochin I (1688–1754) (etching component) in collaboration with Nicolas Le Sueur (1690–1764) (aquatint component)

“La Calomnie, peinte par Apelles”, 1729, plate 39 from the series, “Recueil d'estampes d'après les plus beaux tableaux et d'après les plus beaux desseins qui sont en France” (Collection of prints from the most beautiful paintings and from the most beautiful designs that are in France) (aka “Recueil Crozat”; “Cabinet Crozat”), after a drawing by Raphael (1483–1520) (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1955-1109-10-11) and no doubt loosely based on the composition (in reverse) of Sandro Botticelli’s tempera on wood painting, “La Calomnie d'Apelle” (c1495) in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence (see: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Calomnie_d%27Apelle_(Botticelli)), published by François Basan (1723–1797) in 1764.

Regarding the publication of the series, “Recueil Crozat”, the Curator of the British Museum offers the following insights:

“… a series of plates commissioned by Crozat [Pierre Crozat (1665–1740)] … reproducing famous paintings and drawings of the era; 140 plates were published in 1729. A second volume formed by 42 prints (instead of the 110 plates initially planned) was issued in 1740.

After Crozat's death, the plates were sold to a company of booksellers who commissioned Mariette to reorganize the 'Recueil'; Mariette divided the plates into two volumes, added some missing descriptions, and advertised the set to the public in 1742.

In 1764, Basan [François Basan (1723–1797)] bought the plates and the text, and republished the 'Recueil', but replaced the woodcuts by intaglio prints. … where an attempt to imitate the effect of a chiaroscuro woodcut is made by using aquatint instead …”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1907-1121-14 ).

Etching and aquatint imitating a chiaroscuro woodcut, printed in two shades of brown on heavy laid paper (with watermark).

Size: (sheet) 27.4 x 44.4 cm; (plate) 18.7 x 35.7 cm; (image borderline) 15.9 x 34 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (centre) “La Calomnie, peinte par Apelles/dessein de Raphaël, qui est dans le Cabinet de Mr. Crozat, gravé en cuivre par Charles Nicolas Cochin, et en bois par Nicolas le Sueur”; (right) “39”.

IFF 51 (Inventaire du Fonds Français: Bibliothèque Nationale, Département des Estampes); Le Blanc 25.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“The calumny of Apelles, after a drawing attributed on plate to Raphael: Calumny, preceded by a bearded man personifying Envy and followed by two women (Deceit and Malice?), hals [hauls?] a youth by the hair and brings him before a king with ass's ears, enthroned at left and surrounded by two female figures (Ignorance and Assumption?) who are whispering into his ears; on the right, an old woman personifying Remorse turns round as a naked woman, representing Truth, arrives; the print has been cut down the middle. c.1729/64 Aquatint imitating a chiaroscuro woodcut, printed in brown over etched lines” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1855-0609-118).

See also the description of this print offered by the Louvre: https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl020603407.

Condition: a well-printed impression with a generously wide margins in excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this curiosity of an intaglio print (viz. etching with aquatint) that is skilfully crafted to imitate the attributes/“look” of a chiaroscuro woodcut (i.e. a woodcut involving more than one tone of a colour) for AU$261 (currently US$191.85/EUR162.67/GBP139.41 at the time of posting this print) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this technically important print showcasing a somewhat deceptive practice of the 18^th century, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy. (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).