Jacob van Ruisdael's etching, “The Great Beech with Two Men and a Dog”, c1650

Jacob Isaaksz van Ruisdael (aka Jacob van Ruysdael; Jacob de Goyer) (1628/29–1682)

“The Great Beech with Two Men and a Dog” (aka “The Wooded Landscape with a Great Tree”), c1650, from the series of four etchings of similar format and dimensions, from McCreery’s 1816 edition of “200 Etchings” pulled from the original plates.

Etching on fine wove paper trimmed on or within the platemark (as published by McCreery) and lined onto a conservator’s support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 19.5 x 28 cm; (image borderline) 18.6 x 27.4 cm.

Inscribed on plate below the image borderline: (centre) "JVRuisdael f."

State ii (of ii)

Slive EII; Bartsch I.312.2; Hollstein 2.II

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Two farmers with their dog; landscape with the farmers on a road in lower left, walking through a forest, a mature and gnarled tree in right foreground. c.1650” (http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3097027&partId=1&searchText=ruisdael&page=3)

Clifford S Ackley (1981) in “Printmaking in the Age of Rembrandt” (Boston, Museum of Fine Arts) advises that in this second and final state of the print:
“… stiff, puffy cumulus clouds and parallel shading were added to the sky, crowding the space of the landscape and diminishing the sense of light and atmosphere. The clouds resemble those in some of the latter landscape painting of Ruisdael but are clumsily executed” (p. 227).

Needless, to say, these additions are not by the hand of Ruisdael and are probably by his son who wished to “improve” his father’s plate. Regarding the wriggly lines in the sky at the top right, these are not by Ruisdael’s son. Instead, they are accidents—arguably serendipitous—resulting from craquelure breaks in the etching ground. This fault is not uncommon and De Groot (1979) points out that this issue also occurs in Rembrandt’s “The Little Stink Mill”—a windmill (see Slive [2001], p. 604).

Condition: crisp, richly inked and well-printed impression slightly tanned with age toning and there is a little unevenness to the colour (water staining?) towards the upper edge. There are small tears and thin areas along the upper edge but these issues have been addressed by the sheet having been laid onto a conservator’s support sheet.

I am selling this very beautiful impression of one of Ruisdael’s most celebrated etchings for AU$400 in total (currently US$283.57/EUR250.82/GBP214.54 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 important masterwork by the almost legendary old master, Jacob van Ruisdael, 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

Engraving published by Gerard de Jode, “Third vision of Ezra: the crowd fights the man from the sea”, c1585

Unidentified engraver

(Publisher) Gerard de Jode (aka Geeraert de Jode; Gheerde de Jode; Girard de Jode; Gerardo de Jode; Gheraerde de Jode) (1516/17–1591)

“Third vision of Ezra: the crowd fights the man from the sea” (aka ” Ingens hominum multitude …” [as titled on plate]), c1585, plate 3 from the series of four engravings, “Visions of Ezra” (aka “Van Esdras and Nehemias”), after Maarten de Vos (aka Marten de Vos; Maerten de Vos) (1532–1603), published by Gerard de Jode in 1585 as an illustration to “Thesaurus sacrarum historiaru[m] veteris (et novi) testame[n]ti, elega[n]tissimis imaginibus expressu[m] excelle[n]tissimoru[m] in hac arte viroru[m] opera: nu[n]c primu[m] in luce[m] editus” ([Google transl.] "Treasure of sacred stories old and new, elegant expressed finest pictures of her art works now for the first time to light"), in Amsterdam.

Engraving on fine laid paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 25.3 x 33.9 cm; (plate) 20.3 x 28.9 cm; (image borderline) 19.1 x 28.7 cm.

Numbered on plate within the image borderline at lower centre: “3”.

Lettered in Latin below the image borderline: “Ingens hominum multitudo de quatuor vetis cœli debellat hominem qui descenderat de mari. 4 Esd. Cap. 13”.

State i (of ii) Lifetime impression before the addition of “v. 3” below the text line (compare with the Rijksmusuem state ii impression, RP-P-1982-306-314).

Hollstein 164.I (2) (Vos) (Dieuwke de Hoop Scheffer [ed.] 1996, [Hollstein’s] “Dutch and Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: Maarten de Vos [text]”, vol. 44, Rotterdam, Sound & Vision Rijksprentenkabinet, pp. 44-45, cat. no. 164); Mielke 33 (H Mielke 1975, “Antwerpener graphic in the second half of the 16th century. The Thesaurus Veteris Testamenti of Gerard de Jode [1585] and his Artists”, Zeitschrift fur Kunstgeschichte 38, p. 80, cat. no. 33).

See also the descriptions of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum and the British Museum:

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.collect.530801; 

https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1631667&partId=1&searchText=Ingens+&people=119719&page=1.

Condition: richly inked, crisp, museum quality impression (apart from a fine printer’s crease at lower centre), laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet has breaks in the margins (well away from the image) otherwise the sheet is in excellent condition for their considerable age.

I am selling this exceptionally rare lifetime impression glowing with strong contrasts for AU$320 in total (currently US$227.06/EUR200.93/GBP173.20 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 superb engraving exemplifying the period style of Mannerism, 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

For those who may be unfamiliar with Esdras’ third vision illustrated here, the following extract is from the first 7 verses of chapter 13 of the Apocryphal Bible (extracted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible [1971]):

“After seven days I dreamed a dream in the night; and behold, a wind arose from the sea and stirred up all its waves. And I looked, and behold, this wind made something like the figure of a man come up out of the heart of the sea. And I looked, and behold, that man flew with the clouds of heaven; and wherever he turned his face to look, everything under his gaze trembled, and whenever his voice issued from his mouth, all who heard his voice melted as wax melts when it feels the fire.

After this I looked, and behold, an innumerable multitude of men were gathered together from the four winds of heaven to make war against the man who came up out of the sea. And I looked, and behold, he carved out for himself a great mountain, and flew up upon it. And I tried to see the region or place from which the mountain was carved, but I could not.”

(https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/explore-the-bible/read/eng/rsv/2esd/13/)

François Perrier's pair of etchings, "Sculpture of Alexander Taming Bucephalus", 1638

François Perrier (aka Le Bourguignon) (1594­–1649)

(Left)

“Sculpture of Alexander taming Bucephalus facing right” (descriptive title only) (aka “Horse Tamer”), 1638, from the series of 101 plates, “Segmenta nobilium signorum et statuarum”, published in 1638 by Veuve Perrier (fl. early 1600s). Note that the series was reprinted five times in the 1600s (see British Museum no. 1895,1031.28).

Etching on fine laid paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 29 x 23 cm; (plate) 22.8 x 17.2 cm; (image borderline) 22.5 x 16.8 cm

Inscribed on plate at lower left with the artist’s monogram and the plate number.

Robert-Dumesnil 1835–71 VI.180.64

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Horse tamer, sometimes identified as one of the Dioscuri or as Alexander taming Bucephalus; after the statue now standing outside the Palazzo del Quirinale.”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3070098&partId=1&searchText=+Alexander+%27Segmenta+nobilium+signorum+et+statuarum%27&page=1)

(Right)

“Sculpture of Alexander taming Bucephalus facing left” (descriptive title only), 1638

Size: (sheet) 29.8 x 21.5 cm; (plate) 23.7 x 16 cm; (image borderline) 23.8 x 15.5 cm.

Robert-Dumesnil 1835-71 VI.180.63

___________

Condition: crisp, near faultless impressions laid upon archival support sheets of millennium quality washi paper.  The sheets are in excellent condition for their considerable age (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing, but there are minor signs of handling in the margins).

I am selling this pair of superb early etchings—showing opposing sides of the same sculpture of Alexander the Great training his stallion, Bucephalu—for AU$300 in total for the pair (currently US$213.33/EUR187.66/GBP162.58 at the time of posting these prints) 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 these graphically strong etchings from 1638, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Tony Johannot’s etching, “The Rose (Conversation)”, 1849

Tony Johannot (aka Antoine Johannot; Tony Joannot; Tony Johannoh) (1803–1852)

“The Rose (Conversation)”, 1849, scratch-lettered proof before formal lettering as illustration (plate 85) to “Les Artistes Contemporains”, published in 1850 by Goupil, Vibert et Cie, Paris.

See an explanation of the background to this print offered by artoftheprint.com: http://www.artoftheprint.com/artistpages/johannot_tony_therose.htm

Etching on chine collé on laid paper, a pre-publication proof with the artist’s name lightly scratched below the image borderline, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 44.8 x 31.8 cm; (plate) 29.7 x 20.2 cm; (image borderline/chine collé) 18 x 13.7 cm.

Numbered on plate above the image borderline: (right) “85”.

Inscribed on plate below the image borderline: “Tony Johannot 1849”.

For those who may be unfamiliar with the illustrations by Tony Johannot, his significance as an illustrator is summed up by the famous arts writer/poet/novelist, Théophile Gautier, who wrote in his article in “La Presse” (16 June 1845—four years before this print was executed):

“Tony Johannot can be called, without fear of contradiction, the king of illustration. Only a few years ago, no novel, no poem could appear in print without an engraving in wood bearing his signature …” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Johannot)

Condition: richly inked and well-printed proof state etching in excellent condition—note that I know that there is a small retouched line “somewhere” which was a printing fault but I can no longer find this line.

I am selling this sensitively executed romantic illustration of young love for AU$230 (currently US$164.56/EUR144/GBP124.78 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 masterwork of 19^th century illustrator’s art, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

 

Raffaele Albertolli’s aquatint, “Eagle with outstretched wings resting on an oak leaf cluster”, 1792

Raffaele Albertolli (1770–1812)

“Eagle with outstretched wings resting on an oak leaf cluster” (descriptive title only), 1792 (inscribed on plate), plate 7 (“Tav. VII”) in the series of 20 plates (with the addition of a title and dedication plate to Lodovico Galeazzo Busca Arconati Visconti, marchese di Lomagna) after Giocondo Albertolli (1742–1839) in “Miscellanea per i giovani studiosi del disegno .... Parte terza” (Miscellanea for young scholars of drawing .... Third part), 1796, published by Giocondo Albertolli in Milan, page 18. (This book is available to view online or to download free of charge from archive.org which also offers detailed information about the publication: https://archive.org/details/gri_33125009355229/page/n17)

Aquatint with etching and pale plate tone printed in sanguine coloured ink on heavy laid paper with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 44.7 x 58 cm; (plate) 21.6 x 51.5 cm.

Numbered on plate at upper right: “Tav. VII.”

Lettered on plate along the lower edge: (left) “Gioc. Albertolli inv., e dis. 1792”; (right) “Raf, Albertolli inc.”

Condition: crisp, well-inked and faultless impression with full margins. There is a closed tear on the lower edge of the margin otherwise the sheet is in excellent condition.

I am selling this seldom seen aquatint of an eagle—mindful that Raffaele Albertolli is credited for introducing the technique of aquatint to Milan (see p. 5 in the pdf file offered by robinhalwas.com describing the publication of this print:

https://ilab.org/sites/default/files/catalogs/files/1722_18033_20albertolli.pdf

—for AU$350 (currently US$248/EUR218.54/GBP18.43 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 exquisite aquatint exemplifying supreme skill and discipline, 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