Matthaeus Merian, “Native Americans Hunting Deer: Bow and Arrow, Flames, and the Sea”, 1655

Matthaeus Merian (also known as Matthäus Merian I) (1593–1650), or possibly Theodoor de Bry (aka Théodore de Bry, Dietrich de Bry, and Dirk de Bry) (1528–1598)

“Native Americans Hunting Deer: Bow and Arrow, Flames, and the Sea”, 1655

For those wondering about the depiction of a man laying fish in the field on the lower right of the scene, the German text explains (in translation):
“When the soil is very meagre, they [the local inhabitants] fertilise it and make it fertile again with fish, which they guard for 14 nights and days so that the wolves do not come and carry away such fish unspoiled.”

Technical Details & Condition:

Etching on fine laid paper with full margins and German letterpress text on recto and verso. This original book-leaf was published in Frankfurt am Main in 1655 by the Merian heirs within Johann Ludwig Gottfried’s “Newe Welt und Americanische Historien”. The etching appears on page numbered 157, and bears the title “Von Natur vnd Eygenfchafft der Newen Welt” (“Of the Nature and Property of the New World”).
See: https://archive.org/details/neweweltvndameri00gott/page/197/mode/1up

The etching is a strong, well-printed impression, showing no signs of wear to the printing plate. Aside from a small dot stain at the lower left, the sheet is in excellent condition—free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, or significant stains.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 30.8 x 19.5 cm
• Platemark: 15.1 x 17.7 cm
• Inner image borderline: 14.8 x 17.3 cm

Price & Shipping:

AU$251 (approximately US$166.58 / €142.99 / £124.97), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in acquiring this historically important and visually compelling etching documenting how native Americans hunted deer, please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless purchase.

This print has been sold

Johannes Janssonius, “Polus Arcticus: North Pole”, 1651

Johannes Janssonius (also known as Joannes Jansonius, Jan Jansson, and Jan Jansz) (1588–1664) or an engraver from his circle
“Polus Arcticus: North Pole”, 1651

This map features a decorative cartouche located at the upper right corner with the inscription “Septentrio Nalium Terrarum descript.” (“The Northern Lands described”). This inscription serves as the key to understanding the map, which depicts the Arctic region as it was known in the mid-1600s.

Notably, the map includes the mythical “Anian Fretum” (Straits of Anian) on the far right—a legendary strait believed to separate Asia and North America.

The map also reflects the common geographical understanding of its time: the North Pole is depicted as a central point surrounded by a vast landmass. This landmass is segmented into the following regions:

• “AME RICAE PARS” (North America) at the upper centre
• “GRON LANDT” (Greenland) on the left
• “ASIÆ PARS” (Asia) in the lower right
• “OCEANUS TARTARICUS” (Tartarian Ocean) to the right

Technical Details & Condition:

Engraved on fine laid paper with small margins and Latin letterpress text verso. Published in Amsterdam by Johannes Janssonius on page 23 of “Atlas Minor”—a smaller, more manageable format version of Gerard Mercator's atlas.

This is a strong and well-printed lifetime impression, showing no sign of wear to the printing plate. The sheet is in near-pristine condition, free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, or signs of handling.

Interestingly, Gerard Jollain produced a very similar engraving titled “Pole arctique ou terre du Septentrion” (Arctic pole or land of the North), published in Paris in his atlas “Trésor Des Cartes Geographiques Des Principaux Estats de L’Univers”. You can view it here: https://antique-maps.lt/product/1667-g-jollain-pole-arctique/.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 16.4 x 21.5 cm
• Platemark: 14.7 x 20.4 cm
• Inner image borderline: 14.3 x 20 cm

Price & Shipping:

AU$419 (approximately US$278.15 / €238.68 / £208.84), including worldwide express shipping.
Import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you're interested in acquiring this exceptionally rare early engraved map of the North Pole, please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless purchase.

Gilles Demarteau, “Bagpipe Player”, c. 1766, after François Boucher

Gilles Demarteau (1722–1776)
“Bagpipe Player” (also known as “Joueur de Cornemuse”), c. 1766 (1756–1776), after the design by François Boucher (1703–1770)

Technical Details & Condition:
Etching (possibly with engraving) in the crayon manner, printed in sanguine coloured ink on heavy laid paper with small margins.
Plate 80 from a series dedicated to the collection of Madame Dazaincourt (also known as Madame Blondel Dazaincourt and Madame d'Azaincourt), published with royal privilege in Paris by Gilles Demarteau. This plate was printed on the same page as Plate 81, “Jeune Paysanne”.

The impression is strong and well-printed. Aside from minor surface marks, the sheet is in good condition, free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, and significant stains.

Dimensions:
• Sheet: 27.4 x 20.5 cm
• Inner image borderline: 19.8 x 13.5 cm

Plate Lettering below the image borderline:
• Left: “Boucher inv delin.”
• Centre: “Du Cabinet de Madame Dazaincourt / Paris chez Demarteau avec Priv. du Roi.”
• Right: “Demarteau lne. Sculp. / No. 80.”

References:
• Leymarie 80 (Leopold de Leymarie, 1896, L'œuvre de Gilles DeMarteau l'Aine graveur du roi, Paris, Georges Rapilly, p. 34, cat. no. 80) https://archive.org/details/loeuvredegillesd00leym/page/34/mode/2up
• IFF 80 (Marcel Roux, 1949, Inventaire du Fonds Français Graveurs du XVIIe: DAMONTOT–DENON, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Département des Estampes, vol. 6, p. 365, cat. no. 80) https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k54967066/f369
• The Musée du Louvre describes this print: https://collections.louvre.fr/ark:/53355/cl020549704

Price & Shipping:
AU$269 (approximately US$178.68 / €153.43 / £134.02), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you're interested in acquiring this marvellous crayon-manner etching/engraving by the artist who was arguably the first to invent or at least pioneer the technique around 1756, please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless purchase.

This print has been sold

Jan Luyken, “Cambyses at Memphis Mocking the Egyptian Idolatry”, 1690

Jan Luyken (aka Jan Luijken) (1649–1712) or an artist from his circle
“Cambyses at Memphis Mocking the Egyptian Idolatry”, 1690

The etching portrays a tumultuous scene around 525 BCE, depicting Persian King Cambyses II slaying the sacred Egyptian Apis bull—an embodiment of the god Ptah—in Memphis, with the Pyramids of Giza visible in the distance.

Technical Details & Condition:
Etching printed in a warm black ink on laid paper with full margins as published by David and Willem Goeree in Amsterdam in 1700 in “Mosaize Historie der Hebreeuwse Kerke…” (Mosaic History of the Hebrew Church…), page 309. The print features the original folds of publication, now flattened by the sheet having been archival laid on a washi paper backing to provide stability. The impression is strong and well-printed (near flawless). The sheet is in excellent condition, free of tears, holes, and significant stains.

Dimensions:
• Sheet: 32.9 x 38.5 cm
• Plate mark: 28.4 x 36.4 cm
• Image borderline: 27 x 35.5 cm

Plate Lettering:
• Above the image borderline at right: “309”
• Below the image borderline: “Kambyses te Memphis d'Egiptische Afgoderie bespottende, Dood den Vermaarden Godt APIS; en doed desselfs Feeft in een Bloed-Bad eindigen.” [Cambyses at Memphis, mocking the Egyptian idolatry, slew the famous god APIS; and caused his festival to end in a bloodbath.]

References:
• Van Eeghen 1135 (Pieter van Eeghen & Johan Philip van der Kellen 1905, Het werk van Jan en Casper Luyken, Amsterdam, Frederik Muller & Co., vol. 1, p. 194, cat. no. 1135 [see https://archive.org/details/hetwerkvanjanen00kellgoog/page/194/mode/1up])

Price & Shipping:
AU$288 (approximately US$191.30 / €164.27 / £143.51), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you're interested in acquiring this highly detailed etching by a significant figure within the Baroque art movement, please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless purchase.