Karel Dujardin’s etching, “Two Men Standing in a Stream”, 1658

Karel Dujardin (aka Karel Du Jardin; Carel Dujardin; Carel du Jardin; Bokkebaart) (1626–1678)

“Two Men Standing in a Stream” (TIB title) (aka “Two men near a stone in the water”; “Les deux hommes et la pierre dans l'eau”; “Twee mannen bij een steen in het water”), 1658, plate 10 (as inscribed in plate)—The Rijksmuseum advises: (transl.) “Hollstein Nos. 9-12 appear to be part of a series” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.38296).

Etching on fine laid paper trimmed along the image borderline with a thread margin and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (support sheet) 28 x 29.5 cm; (sheet) 12.4 x 15.8 cm; (image borderline) 12 x 15.8 cm.

Inscribed in plate: (upper-left corner with date in reverse): “K DV IARDIN.f[e ..]/ 1658.”; (lower-right corner) “10”.

State ii (of ii) with the addition of the plate number (“10”).

TIB 1.10 (Leonard J Slatkes [ed.] 1978, The Illustrated Bartsch: Netherlandish Artists, vol. 1, New York, Abaris Books, p. 180, cat. no. 10 [168]); Hollstein 10 (F.W.H. Hollstein 1952, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: Douffet–Floris”, vol. 6, Amsterdam, Menno Hertzberger, cat. no. 10).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Landscape with two men standing in water near a rock, one seems to direct the other to shift the rock, the ruins of a massive structure above them jutting from the riverbank, a cascade on the left where the water levels change, a mountain in the background; second state with number. 1658
Etching” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_Sheepshanks-835).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression trimmed around the image borderline and laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this sensitively executed etching showing what I assume are travellers refreshing themselves in a stream near a projecting rockface—mindful that at the time that this print was executed, artists often contrasted the size of men against the grander aspects of nature (such as this huge vertically sheared rock)—for AU$266 (currently US$177.79/EUR160.87/GBP141.61 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 very beautiful etching capturing the effect of early morning (or late afternoon) light—note the way the artist has intensified the effect of strong light on the sheared rockface by intensifying the tonal contrast of foliage behind the rock—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.