Unidentified 16thcentury printmaker’s woodcut, “Asian Camel”, c1575

Unidentified 16^th century woodcut illustrator for Ambroise Paré (aka Ambrosio Paræo) (1510–1590)—author and father of modern surgery

“Asian Camel” (aka “Bactrian Camel”; “Figure d’un Chameau d'Asie, ayant deux bosses sur le dos”), c1574/5, initially published in Paris in 1575 (note that work commenced on the publication in 1574) with Royal privilege by Gabriel Buon (fl.1558–1595) on page LXXVI (76) in Ambroise Paré’s “Les Oeuvres d'Ambroise Paré” (see https://archive.org/details/BIUSante_01709/page/n99/mode/2up). The woodcut was republished in the same publication with the following publishers: in Lyon in 1614 and 1652 by Pierre Rigaud; in Paris in 1628 by Nicolas Buon (fl.1624–1628); in 1664 by Jean Gregoire.

Based on the letterpress text verso, this impression is from Nicolas Buon’s 1628 Paris edition; see page 64: https://archive.org/details/BIUSante_00249D/page/n111/mode/2up.  

Woodcut with letterpress text (recto and verso) on laid paper trimmed around the image and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 13.3 x 18.7 cm.

Letterpress text printed recto: (above the image) “Figure d’un Chameau d'Asie, ayant deux bosses sur le dos.” (Figure of an Asian Camel, with two humps on the back); (right) “A/ B”. 

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression but the sheet is in a restored condition with stains and a replenished loss on the right edge, trimmed around the image and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this marvellous woodcut showing a luxuriantly tufted Bactrian Camel with gorgeous toenails and a very mean disposition—at least in my reading of the camel’s expression!—for AU$228 (currently US$222.73/EUR184.02/GBP158.40 at the time of this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) 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 wonderful representation of a double-hump camel in an early woodcut, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.