Jacob Houbraken’s etching and engraving, “Portrait of John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale”, 1740, after Peter Lely

 

Jacob Houbraken (aka Jacobus Houbraken) (1698–1780)

“Portrait of John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale”, 1740, from the series, “Birch's Heads” (aka “The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain, Engraved by Mr Houbraken and Mr Vertue, with their Lives and Characters by Thomas Birch, A.M.F.R.S.”), after the painting by Peter Lely (aka Sir Peter Lely; Pieter van der Faes) (1618–1680) in the National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh (inv. no. 2128), engraved in Amsterdam and published in London in 1740 (as inscribed on plate) by John Knapton (fl.1735–1789) and his brother Paul Knapton (1703–1755).

Regarding the auricular styled frame around the portrait, the Curator of the British Museum advises that Hubert-François Gravelot (aka Hubert François Bourguignon Gravelot; Hubert François Bourguignon) (1699–1773) “was responsible for the ornamental surrounds which were engraved first” (see (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1844-0511-13).

Etching and engraving on laid paper trimmed close to the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 39.8 x 24.3 cm; (image borderline) 37.6 x 23.8 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: “IOHN DUKE OF LAUDERDALE”.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “P. Lely pinx.”; (left of centre) “In the Collection of Right Hon: the Earl of Dysert”; (right of centre) “Impensis I. & P. Knapton Londini 1740.”; (right) “J. Houbraken Sculps. Amst. 1740.”

State ii (of ii) with the addition of publication details.

Ver Huell 59 (Alexander Ver Huell 1875, “Jacobus Houbraken et Son Oeuvre”, Arnhem, P. Gouda Quint, p. 112, cat. no. 59); O'Donoghue 4 (Freeman O'Donoghue 1908–25, “Catalogue of Engraved British Portraits Preserved in the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum”, 6 vols., London, cat. no. 4).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Portrait of John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale, bust directed to left but looking at the viewer, wearing a neckerchief and brocaded jacket with star of the Order of the Garter; in an ornamental oval; an owl and books below; state with publisher's address; after Peter Lely. 1740”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1927-1126-1-7-9).

See also the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum:

 http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.126756.

Condition: well-printed, near faultless impression, trimmed close to the platemark as published. There is a hole (from binding?) at lower-left in the margin and a pencil note from a previous collector at upper-right margin; otherwise the sheet is in excellent condition with no tears, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this remarkable portrait showing collaboration between the engraver of the Baroque frame surrounding the portrait (viz. Hubert-François Gravelot) and Houbraken who engraved of the portrait of John Maitland—a Scottish politician who achieved “notoriety for his repressive rule in Scotland during Charles II’s reign” (https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Maitland-Duke-of-Lauderdale—for AU$254 (currently US$179.85/EUR154.06/GBP139.91at the time of posting this print) 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 fascinating portrait where the portrayed frame acts to give symbolic and psychological meaning to the sitter—in my personal reading I see the symbolic attributes of scholarly wisdom ( viz. books, scrolled documents, owl and tree of knowledge) as anchoring a blustery storm of the sitter’s temperament—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

Unidentified engraver from the circle of Cherubino Alberti and Aegidius Sadeler II, “Vase No. 6”, after Polidoro da Caravaggio

Unidentified engraver from the circle of Cherubino Alberti (1553–1615) and Aegidius Sadeler II (aka Egidius Sadeler; Gillis Sadeler; Ægedius Sadeler; Gillis Sadler) (c1570–1629)

“Vase No. 6” (TIB title for Aegidius Sadeler’s engraving [TIB 7201.413]) (aka “Plate 6: Vase or Ewer with a Frieze Containing Naked Figures, Supported Below by Two Female Sphinxes” [MET title]), c1600s (after 1605), plate 6 in the series of ten engravings, “Antique Vases” (“Vasa a Polydoro Caravagino”), in reverse after Cherubino Alberti’s 1582 engraving of the same vase (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1873-1213-290) and in the same direction as Aegidius Sadeler II’s 1605 engraving (see https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/652408) after Polidoro da Caravaggio’s (aka Polidoro Caldara; Polidoro da Caravagio )(c1500–1536/7?) frescoes above the first floor windows of the Palazzo Milesi in the via della Maschera d'Oro in Rome (see L. Ravelli 1978, “Polidoro Caldare da Caravaggio”, Bergamo, fig. 667, p. 369 and Michael Bury 2001, “The Print in Italy 1550-1620”, British Museum Press, London, p. 146).

Etching and engraving on laid paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 39 x 26 cm; (plate) 24 x 15.9 cm.

Ref. Cherubino Alberti: TIB 34 (17).166 (110) (Sebastian Buffa 1982, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Artists of the Sixteenth Century”, vol. 34, New York, Abaris Books, p. 197, cat. no. 166 [110]).

Ref. Aegidius Sadeler II: TIB 7201.413 (Isabelle de Ramaix 1998, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Ægidius Sadeler II”, vol. 72, Part 2 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 299, cat. no. [7201].413; illus. p. 300).

The British Museum offers the following description of Cherubino Alberti’s print that was copied in reverse by Aegidius Sadeler II:

“Plate 6: vase depicting naked figures surrounding a vessel, supported by two sirens; from a series of ten prints after Polidoro da Caravaggio of antique vases decorated with various scenes. c1582” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1873-1213-290).

Condition: well-printed early impression showing no wear to the printing plate. There are tears and a few holes in the margins and the edges to the sheet are ragged, but the image area has no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains.

I am selling this early engraving in reverse of Cherubino Alberti’s print after Polidoro da Caravaggio’s fresco of the same subject for AU$220 in total (currently US$154.90/EUR133.09/GBP120.98 at the time of posting 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 superb example of Baroque ornamental design, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Note that I have similar engraving that is presently still available; see https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2018/06/engraving-by-unidentified-printmaker.html.

Charles Keene’s etching, “Lady Reading a Book”, 1860

Charles Keene (aka Charles Samuel Keene) (1823–1891)

“Lady Reading a Book” (aka “Lady in 1860 Reading a Book"; “Girl with a Book” [Lumsden title]), 1860, from the 1903 edition of 21 of Keene’s etchings printed in an edition of 150 copies before the plates were cancelled and illustrated in E.S Lumsden's (1962) "The Art of Etching” (New York, Dover, p. 270; illus. p. 271). This is one of Keene’s most famous etchings and Lumsden (1962) proposes that the “rich blacks, the luminosity and the poise of the delicate head are beyond praise” (ibid).

The British Museum offers the following information about the 1903 edition:

“Twenty-one Etchings by Charles S. Keene. Printed by F. Goulding. Introduction and Notes by M. H. Spielmann" (London, The Astolat Press) 1903; a portfolio of 21 individually mounted prints depicting various figurative and landscape subjects, including Mrs Heseltine knitting, a woman reading, Mme. Zambaco drawing, a man playing the cello, an old man by a stove, men and women in historical costume, and other character studies, views of buildings, interiors, and scenes on canals and coasts. With letterpress titlepage, introduction and notes on the etchings in four separate fascicles. Held in a blue paper wrapper kept within original red cloth portfolio” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1935-0422-1-1-21).

Etching with pale plate tone on fine Japanese paper attached to a support sheet (as published).

Size: (sheet) 20.2 x 16.2 cm; (plate) 15.9 x 12.7 cm.

Signed on plate with ligature monogram at lower left: “CK”.

Inscribed on plate at left with the etched biting times for the printing plate: “1^st Bite 20 M[ins]/ 2^nd [bite] 15”. Interestingly, based on the biting times for the plate, Lumsden (1962) proposes that Keene’s “acid cannot have been as strong as half-and-half nitric” (ibid).

Pennell & Chesson 9 (Joseph Pennell & Wilfrid Hugh Chesson 1897, “The work of Charles Keene; with an introduction & comments on the drawings illustrating the artist's methods”, New York, R.H. Russell, p. 271, cat. no. 9; see this publication online at archive.org: https://archive.org/details/workofcharleskee00penn_0/page/270/mode/2up).

For those interested in the splendid gown worn by the young lady portrayed and the identity of the sitter, Pennell & Chesson (1897) offer the following description:

“Wears crinoline and Montero hat with two white feathers and a chignon. … Mrs. A.J. Hipkins was told it was a portrait of the artist's sister” (p. 271).

Condition: richly linked, strong impression with margins and attached to a support sheet (as published?) along the upper edge. The sheet is in near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this famous etching possibly created after being spurred on by the artist’s friendship with James Whistler, for the total cost of AU$364 (currently US$256/EUR219.98/GBP200.87 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 rare etching by one of the major 19^th century graphic artists known for his illustrations in Punch magazine, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Unidentified printmaker from the circle of Nicolaes de Bruyn, “Five Birds Including Spoonbill”, c1594

Unidentified printmaker from the circle of Nicolaas de Bruyn (aka Nicolaes de Bruyn; Nicolaas de Bruin) (1571–1656)

“Five Birds Including Spoonbill” (aka “Vijf vogels waaronder lepelaar”), c1594, plate 5 after the series of engravings by De Bruyn—the British Museum advises that there are 13 plates in the series [Z,1.95] whereas the Rijksmuseum proposes that there are 12 plates [RP-P-1898-A-20003])—“Birds and Insects” (aka “Vogels en insecten”), possibly published following the different editions of De Bruyn’s plates by Francoys van Beusecom (aka Francoys van Beusekom) (fl.1642–1665), Ahasuerus van Londerseel (aka Assuerus Londerssel) (1572–1635) and Carel Allard (aka Carolus Allard; Carel Allardt; Carel Allart) (1648–1709).

Engraving on laid paper trimmed with a thread margin around the image borderline.

Size: (sheet) 8.3 x 12.6 cm.

Inscribed on plate: (lower right) [ligature monogram] “NB. in.”; (right edge) “5”.

References to De Bruyn’s engraving: Hollstein Dutch 228 (F.W.H. Hollstein 1951, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: Brun–Coques”, vol. 4, Amsterdam, Menno Hertzberger, p. 24, cat. no. 228); Orn Cat I 37-A.2 (Irene Margaretha de Groot 1988, “Ornamentprenten in het Rijksprentenkabinet”, Den Haag, Rijksprentenkabinet, Rijksmuseum Staatsuitgeverij).

The British Museum offers the following description of De Bruyn’s engraving:

“Landscape with several birds on a river-bank, such as cranes, small sailing boats in background; from a series of thirteen prints showing birds and insects. 1594”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_Z-1-95).

See also the description of De Bruyn’s engraving offered by the Rijksmuseum with reference to another series:

(Transl.) “Print from a series of twelve prints with birds and insects. Sheets from another series of prints are depicted at Hollstein, see De Groot 1988, p. 37.”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.collect.89139).

Condition: near faultless early impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate, trimmed with a thread margin around the image borderline in excellent/near pristine condition.

I am selling this superb engraving by an unidentified printmaker after Nicolaes de Bruyn’s engraving, for the total cost of AU$208 (currently US$146.23/EUR125.64/GBP114.74 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 marvellous jewel of early engraving showing water birds, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Charles Meryon’s etching, “Pierre Nivelle, Bishop de Luçon”, 1861, after Michel Lasne

Charles Meryon (1821–1868)

“Pierre Nivelle, Bishop de Luçon”, 1861, after an engraving by Michel Lasne (aka Michael Asinius; Michel L'Asne; Michael Lanius) (c1590–1667), printed by Abraham Beillet (aka Beillet & Forestier) (fl.1850–1876) and published in an edition of 550 copies by L. Clouzot in Benjamin Fillon and Octave de Rochebrune’s “Poitou et Vendée, études historiques et artistique” in 1887 in Niort.

Regarding this extraordinary etching, Meryon (in translation) offers the following insights in “My observations on the article in the Gazette des Beaux-Arts” (1863):

“After the splendid engraving by Michel Lasne. I had to reproduce the original as faithfully as possible whilst reducing it to the present dimensions. The surrounding framework has been composed with the aid of various data furnished by Monsieur Benjamin Fillon, and also from my own conjecture of the personage” (see Loys Delteil & Harold J.L. Wright’s [1989] “Catalogue Raisonné of the Etchings of Charles Meryon", San Francisco, Alan Wofsy Fine Arts, [n.p.] cat. no. 81).

Etching (on tin printing plate) with plate tone on fine laid paper with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 32 x 24 cm; (plate) 15.9 x 10.9 cm; (image borderline) 14.4 x 9.4 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (around oval frame) “PIERRE NIVELLE ÉVÊQUE DE LUÇON”; (lower left) “NÉ TROYES/ EN 1584”; (lower centre) “MDCCCLXI/ [ligature monogram] CM”; (lower right) “MORT À LUÇON/ LE 10 FÉV 1660”.

Inscribed on plate below the image borderline (only partial visible): (left) “D'après M.L.”; (right) “Imp. A.Beillet Q de la Tournelle 35 Paris”.

State vi (of vii) Note that there is variation in the number of states according to the raisonné consulted and the attribution of this impression to state vi is following Delteil & Wright’s (1989 revised edition) descriptions of the states.

Loys Delteil & Harold J.L. Wright 81. 6; Schneidermann 76. 5.

The British Museum offers descriptions of two states of this print:

(state ii) https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1865-0114-136;

(state v/vi) https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1876-0510-387.

Condition: strong impression with full margins as published. The sheet is in excellent/near pristine condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of use) but there are intrinsic imperfections in the paper and the lower margin shows a printer’s crease (i.e. a pressure crease created during the printing process).

I am selling this rarely seen etching by Meryon showing the artist’s famous propensity for creative invention by populating the space around the Bishop’s portrait with subject matter that lends a extra dimension to a viewer’s reading of the sitter (e.g. a glass possibly filled with alcohol and a stirring rod in it on the lower left; a possibly severed hand and a cascade of jewels on the lower right—my apologies if I have misinterpreted what is depicted), for the total cost of AU$337 (currently US$237.26/EUR203.92/GBP186.45 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 curiously wonderful etching by one of the most important French printmakers of the nineteenth century, 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