Giovanni Merlo, “Saint Martinianus”, c.1656, after Raphael Sadeler I and Maarten de Vos

(Attributed to) Giovanni Merlo (fl.c.1656–1696)—attribution based on other engravings in the same series/folio that are lettered in the plate with the name of Giovanni Merlo (see https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2023/10/giovanni-merlos-engraving-saint-amatus.html & https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2021/11/giovanni-merlos-engraving-st-gudwal-of.html)

“Saint Martinianus” (aka “St Martinian”—Hermit of Caesarea in Palestine [c.350 AD]), c.1656, plate 16 from the series of thirty plates, “Hermits Sylvae Sacrae (Monumenta …Anachoretarum…)”, after a lost drawing by Maarten de Vos (1532–1603) and after the engraving of the same composition executed by Raphael Sadeler I (1560/61–1628/32).

Engraving on fine laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 19.2 x 22.4 cm; (plate) 16.8 x 20.1 cm; (image borderline) 15.5 x 19.2 cm.

Lettered and numbered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Primitias aui Domino floremq[ue] iuventae/ Donat, et in latebras MARTINIANVS abit”; (centre) “16”; (right) “Naufraga suscipitur Virgo, fit naufragus ipse,/ Cui dant Delphinium terga per æquor iter”

Lifetime impression (based on the quality of line showing no sign of wear to the printing plate).

TIB 7001.107 C1 (Isabelle de Ramaix [ed.] 2001, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Raphael Sadeler I Fecit”, Vol. 71, Part 1 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 144, cat. no. [7001].107 C1).

Condition: a strong and near faultless impression in a pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions or stains.

I am selling this exceptionally fine impression of a very beautiful engraving in a near pristine condition exemplifying the period style of Mannerism, for AU$248 in total (currently/approximately US$163.78/ EUR152.04/ GBP130.77 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. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$248) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this superb engraving showing the hermit saint about to rescue a shipwrecked woman—note that this saint had earlier employed the extraordinary manoeuvre of putting his feet into a fire to quell his passion for another woman, Zoe, who had sought to seduce him (see https://www.saintforaminute.com/saints/saint_martinian_the_hermit—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

Giovanni Merlo’s engraving, “Saint Amatus”, c.1656, after Raphael Sadeler I and Maarten de Vos

Giovanni Merlo (fl.c.1656–1696)

“Saint Amatus”—Bishop of Nusco near Salerno, died 1093 and celebrated on 13 September (see TIB 71 [Part 1], p. 144), c.1656, plate 19 in the series of thirty plates, “Hermits Sylvae Sacrae (Monumenta …Anachoretarum…)”, after a drawing in the Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin (inv. 79B17, pl. 1), dated 1593, by Maarten de Vos (1532–1603), in reverse after the engraving of the same composition executed by Raphael Sadeler I (1560/61–1628/32) (see https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2017/11/raphael-sadeler-is-engraving-saint.html).

Engraving on laid paper with a small margin around the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 18 x 21.4 cm; (plate) 16.6 x 20.2 cm; (image borderline) 15.1 x 19.7 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (lower right corner) “G^io. Merlo”

Numbered and lettered in plate below the image borderline (note that my reading of the Latin text may have errors): “Harpagat infernus Cererein tibi corinis AMATE,/ Tu gaudes dum plus esuriisse potes.//19//Deiectam medio Suspendis in acre molem:/ Nam parent Sanctis Saxa vel ipsa viris.”

Lifetime impression (based on the quality of line showing no sign of wear to the printing plate).

TIB 7001.109 C3 (Isabelle de Ramaix [ed.] 2001, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Raphael Sadeler I Fecit”, Vol. 71, Part 1 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 144, cat. no. [7001].109 C3).

Condition: a richly inked and near faultless impression. There are a few pale marks and early restored tears in the lower left corner, otherwise, the sheet is a good condition.

I am selling this exceptionally strong engraving in a near pristine condition exemplifying the period style of Mannerism, for the total cost of AU$248 (currently US$165.76/EUR149.98/GBP132.03 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 superb engraving showing the saint praying in the foreground and pumping water in the distance while an impish flying devil urinates on the saint’s dwelling and a bird flies away with his bread and water, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Giovanni Merlo’s engraving, “St. Gudwal of Wales”, c1650, after Jan Sadeler & Maarten de Vos

Giovanni Merlo (fl.c.1656–1696)

“St. Gudwal of Wales”, c1650, plate 9 in the series, “Sylvae Sacrae”, after a lost drawing by Maarten de Vos (1532–1603), after the engraving of the same composition executed in 1598 by Jan Sadeler I (1550–1600) in the series “Trophæum Vitæ Solitariæ” (see: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1958-0712-203).

HMML Reading Room (vhmml.org) offers the following description of this print's composition: “The saint is depicted praying in a rock cave on a small island surrounded by a roiling sea. In the background, St. Gudwal is seen building a hermitage, watching it as it is carried away by the sea, and living in a cave” (https://w3id.org/vhmml/museum/view/3302).

Regarding the portrayed hermit, I understand that St. Gudwal (fl. 650) entered the priesthood at an early age and later became a bishop. According to Wikipedia “he led a party of 188 monks across the sea to Cornwall, where they were hospitably received by Mevor, a prince of the country, and Gudwal founded a monastery not far off …” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gudwal).

Engraving on laid paper with a small margin around the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 19.7 x 22.9 cm; (plate) 17.4 x 20.2 cm; (image borderline) 15.3 x 19.5 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (lower left corner) “Giouani Merlo .F.”

Numbered and lettered on plate in two lines of Latin in two columns below the image borderline: "GVDVVALDVS sacram deponit sponte thiaram,/ Horrida saxa petens, vndique cincta salo.// 9 // Sacra facit, precibus fontem elicit, imperat vndis/ Virga Num Mosis gloria maior erit?" (Gudvvaldus freely lays down his sacred tiara, making rough rocks, surrounded on every side by the surf. He performs sacred things, calls out the fountain with prayers, and orders the rod to be greater than the glory of Moses?).

Lifetime impression (based on the quality of line showing no sign of wear to the printing plate).

TIB 7001.398 C3 (Isabelle de Ramaix [ed.] 2001, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Johan Sadeler I”, Vol. 70, Part 2 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 256, cat. no. [7001].398 C3); Hollstein 428.

Condition: a richly inked and near faultless impression in pristine/museum quality condition for the considerable age of this print (i.e., there are no tears, holes, losses, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling).

I am selling this exceptionally strong engraving in near pristine condition exemplifying the period style of Mannerism, for the total cost of AU$248 (currently US$179.86/EUR159.54/GBP133.81 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 superb engraving showing multiple episodes of St. Gudwal’s life—viz. on the right the saint is portrayed hewing his cave from a rockface; the distance shows the hermitage he constructed perched on a rocky promontory; the middle distance represents the same building having collapsed into the sea—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

Giovanni Merlo’s engraving, “St. Chariton the Confessor”, c.1650, after Raphael Sadeler

Giovanni Merlo (fl.c.1656–1696)

“St. Chariton the Confessor”, c.1650, plate 1 in the series, “Sylvae Sacrae” after a lost drawing by Maarten de Vos (1532–1603) in reverse after the 1594 engraving of the same composition by Raphael Sadeler (1561–1628) (see: https://w3id.org/vhmml/museum/view/1829).

Regarding the portrayed hermit, I understand that St. Chariton was tortured for his Christian faith during Emperor Aurelian’s (270–275) reign and was then abducted to Wadi Farouk (near Jerusalem) by bandits. He settled into a cave in the Pharan Valley after the bandits died from drinking wine poisoned by a snake (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariton_the_Confessor).

Engraving on early laid paper (based on the characteristically uneven thickening around the chainlines) with a small margin around the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 18.2 x 21.9 cm; (plate) 16.5 x 20.2 cm; (image borderline) 14.9 x 19.9 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (lower right corner) “Gio Merlo”.

Numbered and lettered on plate in two lines of Latin in two columns below the image borderline: "Iconius CHARITON vinculis & carcere misus/ Se nemorum properat claudere carceribus.//1// Dura silex nectar sitienti dulce propinat;/ Namque solent Diuum saxa mouere preces."

TIB 7101.099 C1 (copy in reverse signed “Gio Merlo”) (Isabelle de Ramaix [ed.] 2006, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Raphael Sadeler I”, Vol. 71, Part 1 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 124, cat. no. [7101].099 C1).

Condition: richly inked faultless impression in excellent/museum quality condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, losses, abrasions, significant stains or foxing—but there is faded ink alteration by an old hand to the plate number recto).

I am selling this exceptionally strong engraving exemplifying the period style of Mannerism, for the total cost of AU$248 (currently US$156.27/EUR144.19/GBP125.99 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 superb engraving showing St Chariton confessing to a crucifix in his final lavra (called Syriac Souka) that I understand is only accessible by ladders and features a flowing stream from a spring within the cave, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Circle of Raphael Sadeler’s engraving, “Blessed Egidius (Giles) of Assisi”, c.1606

Unidentified engraver (possibly Giovanni Merlo [fl.c.1656–1696]) from the circle of Raphael Sadeler (1561–1628) (Note that my attibution to Merlo is based on another print from the same series having this engraver's name inscribed on the plate.)

“Blessed Egidius (Giles) of Assisi” (TIB title) (aka “Saint Giles”; “Sant’Egidio”; “Giles the Hermit”), c.1606, plate 22 in the series, “Sylvae Sacrae” after a lost drawing by Maarten de Vos (1532–1603) in reverse of the engraving (1594) by Raphael Sadeler

(see https://w3id.org/vhmml/museum/view/1843).

Note that there is a similar copy of this print by Thomas de Leu (aka Leeuw; Le Leup; Deleu] (1560–1612) and/or Charles van Boeckel (aka Carel van Bockel) (fl.1597–1603), but there are a few significant differences in the composition (e.g. the area of the sky is reduced [see http://www.galleriagarisenda.it/prodotto/29658-santegidio/]).

Engraving on early laid paper (based on the characteristically uneven thickening around the chainlines) with small margins around the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 17.4 x 20.9 cm; (plate) 16.5 x 20.2 cm; (image borderline) 15.3 x 19.7 cm.

Numbered and lettered on plate in two lines of Latin: “EGIDIVM Regis sobolem tegit umbra cauernæ, […] Quem fera captanti prædam cane prodidit altrix:// Vbera cui præbet cerua dat herba dapes. […] 20 […] Nec virtus antro clausa latere potest.”

TIB 7101.110 C2 (copy in reverse unsigned) (Isabelle de Ramaix [ed.] 2006, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Raphael Sadeler I”, Vol. 71, Part 1 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 146, cat. no. [7101].110 C2).

Condition: richly inked faultless impression in excellent/museum quality condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, losses, abrasions, significant stains or foxing—but there is a flatten centrefold that is virtually invisible recto).

I am selling this exceptionally beautiful engraving of St Giles—the patron saint for the physically disabled beside the red deer which sustained him with its milk—for the total cost of AU$248 (currently US$161.78/EUR142.50/GBP125.05 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 superb engraving capturing in its portrayal of the saint reading his gospel in the company of his hind, the critical moment when a huntsman for King Wamba (c. 643 – 687/688) readies his crossbow to kill the hermit’s deer, but hits the hermit instead —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