Prints and Principles

Most of the recent posts give details about individual prints and earlier posts discuss some of the subtle principles guiding artists in making images meaningful and memorable. For prints that are unsold, click "Items still available for sale" below. All other prints are no longer available. My contact email is oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com and my Instagram username is @printsandprinciples. I have created a separate blog to show my own work: https://printsandprinciplesjamesbrown.blogspot.com

Sunday, 31 August 2025

Gérard de Lairesse, “Venus Fills Cupid's Quiver”, c.1677–80

Gérard de Lairesse (1640–1711)

“Venus Fills Cupid's Quiver” (aka “Venus Replenishing Cupid's Quiver with Arrows”; “Venus and Cupid at the Forge of Vulcan”), c.1677–80, plate three from the series, of four plates, “The Life of Venus” (aka “Venus and Cupid”), published by Nicolaes Visscher II (aka Nicolai Vischer; Claes Claesz Visscher) (1649–1702). Based on the number inscribed at lower right (“56”), this impression is from the “Opus Elegantissimum” edition of 104 plates, published in Amsterdam by Gerard Valck (aka Gerard Valk) (1651/2–1726) (see the Curator of the British Museum’s comment about this edition regarding the title plate to the edition: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1929-1112-2-1).

Etching on laid paper, trimmed along the platemark and backed by a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 24.1 x 16.6cm; (plate) 21.4 x 17.2cm; (image borderline) 20.8 x 16.6cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “3”; (centre) “Per Gerardum de Lairesse inv: et sculp: et per Nicolaum Visscher edit: cum Privil: Ord: General: Belgii Fæderati.”; (right) “56”.

Hollstein Dutch 29; Timmers 29

The British Museum offers the following description of this print (not reproduced): “Venus filling the quiver of Cupid with arrows which are being forged behind her; a plate from a series of four on Venus and Cupid. c.1677/80” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1929-1112-2-52).

See also the descriptions of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum and Harvard Art Museums: https://id.rijksmuseum.nl/200528267; https://hvrd.art/o/339704.

Condition: a well-printed impression with narrow margins around the image borderline and laid onto archival (millennium-quality) washi paper that provides generous margins. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or stains.

I am selling this very beautiful etching that to my eyes seems sculpted by light, for the total cost of AU$333 (approximately US$217.87, EUR 186.35, or GBP 161.37), this includes worldwide express postage and handling. Please note that any applicable import duties or taxes imposed by the destination country are the responsibility of the buyer.

If you are interested in purchasing this sensitively executed 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