Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietricy's etching, “St James Preaching in a Village”, 1740

Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietricy (aka Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich) (1712–1774)

“St James Preaching in a Village” (aka " Heilige Jakobus Predict” [Rijksmuseum title]; “Preaching of St. James” [DIA title]), 1740, plate 76 from “Oeuvre de C.W.E. Dietrich”, published in Dresden, c1775.

Regarding the biographical details of St James the Greater (aka Jacobus Maior; St James of Compostela; St James the Moorslayer; Boanerges; Santiago) portrayed in this etching, the British Museum offers the following insights:

“Christian saint, apostle and New Testament figure; son of Zebedee (q.v.) and brother of St John the Evangelist (q.v.), beheaded by Herod Agrippa I (q.v.). He later miraculously appeared to fight for the Christian army during the battle of Clavijo in 844AD during the Reconquista, hence called Matamoros (Moorslayer). Patron saint of Spain; symbol a staff.”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/term_details.aspx?bioId=78890)

Etching on laid paper with small margins around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 19.6 x 27.7 cm; (plate) 19 x 27 cm; (image borderline) 18.3 x 26.5 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (upper left corner) “76”; (upper right) ‘“Dietricy f. 1740”.

State iii (of iv) with the addition of artists name of the second state and the plate number “76” of the third state.

Linck 30–III(4) (JF Linck 1846, “Monographie der von C. W. E. Dietrich radierten, geschabten und in Holz geschnittenen malerischen Vorstellungen”, Berlin, pp. 88–90, cat. no. 30); LeBlanc 19–III(4) (Ch. LeBlanc & J.Ch. Brunet 1854 [–1889], “Manuel de l'amateur d'estampes, contenant un dictionnaire des graveurs de toutes les nations : ouvrage destiné à faire suite au Manuel du libraire”, vol. 2, p. 128, cat. no. 19).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“St James preaching; the latter is standing on a stone block outside a rural house to right, holding a cross in his right hand; group of onlookers to left; church in the background to left; third state. 1740 Etching”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1469851&partId=1&searchText=Dietrich+St+James+Preaching&page=1)

See also the description of this print at the Rijksmuseum:

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.105642 and http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.105641.

Condition: richly inked and well-printed faultless impression with a small margin around the plate mark in excellent conditions for the age of the print (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing). The sheet is laid on a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this outstanding—museum quality—impression exemplifying the artist’s Rembrandtesque skill in guiding a viewer’s reading of a complex crowd scene by varying the amount of details shown, for the total cost of AU$320 (currently US$219.54/EUR199.19/GBP176.36 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this unassuming masterwork of 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

Joseph Parrocel's etching, “Baptism of Christ”, c1661

Joseph Parrocel (1646–1704)

“Baptism of Christ” (aka “Jesus Christ is baptized by Saint John”; “Baptême du Christ” [Louvre title]), c1661, plate 4 from the series of forty plates, “Les Miracles de la Vie de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ” (The Miracles of the Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ).

Etching on laid paper trimmed within the plate mark and backed with a support sheet.

Compare trimmed losses with the impression held by the Musée du Louvre, Département des Arts graphiques (RF 41551.9):

http://arts-graphiques.louvre.fr/detail/oeuvres/114/506460-Bapteme-du-Christ-max)

Size: (sheet) 15.4 x 16.4 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline along the lower edge: (left) “I. Par. in. et f.”; (right) “C.P.R.”

Inscribed on plate below the image borderline: “IESVS CHRIST est baptize par Sainct Jean”.

State i (of ii) lifetime impression of the etched state of the plate before it was later engraved in the second state with significant changes to Christ’s position (see discussion further below).

Robert-Dumesnil in the catalogue raisonné for this set of prints advises that the first state impressions of “pure etching” are “rare.”

Arguably, this impression is very likely to have been printed by the artist’s own hand as the inventory of his possession (dated 16 July, 1704) reveals that the artist possessed in the cellar of his house a “press in oak wood” to print his plates.

Robert-Dumesnil 1838 44(4) (A P F Robert-Dumesnil 1838, Le Peintre-Graveur Français, vol. 3, Paris, p. 266, cat. no. 44 [4]).

Robert-Dumesnil in the catalogue raisonné (1838) offers the following description of this print:

(Transl.) “The Redeemer standing in the Jordan, in the middle of the print, receives the holy water that John, kneeling to his left, pours on him, looking up to heaven where God the Father and the Holy Spirit appear surrounded by a celestial legion. Two great angels are prostrate at the bottom left.” (p. 266).

Interestingly, Christ’s position shown in this impression is changed significantly in the second state as described by Robert-Dumesnil (1838):

(Transl.) “Christ inclines his head to the left, to the two prostrate angels.”

(See a second state impression held by the Louvre:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parrocel_Joseph-Saint_Jean_baptise_J%C3%A9sus.jpg).

Condition: a superb, richly inked and well-printed impression of the utmost rarity, trimmed within the platemark with losses to the sides and lower text lines and backed with a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet is in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing).

I am selling this first state etching before it was later “finished” with engraving, for AU$220 in total (currently US$151.18/EUR136.97/GBP121.47 at the time of posting this print) 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 exceptionally rare old master print, 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

Luigi Rossini's etching, “View of a Portion of the Ruins of the Walkway of the Ground Floor of the Colosseum”, 1821

Luigi Rossini (1790–1857)

“View of a Portion of the Ruins of the Walkway of the Ground Floor of the Colosseum” (Caltech Archives’ title) (aka “Veduta di Porzione degli Avanzi dell' Ambulacro del piano terra nel Colosseo”) 1821, plate 79 from the series of 101 engravings, “Le Antichità romane ossia raccolta delle più interessanti vedute di Roma antica" (Buildings and Ruins in Rome and Vicinity), published in two volumes in Rome in 1823 and later in 1829.

Etching on wove paper with wide margins (as published?).

Size: (sheet) 67.2 x 50.5 cm; (plate) 46 x 38.9 cm; (image borderline) 44.3 x 38 cm.

Inscribed on plate below the image borderline: (left) “Rossini dis. e. inc.”; (centre) “Veduta di Porzione degli Avanzi dell' Ambulacro del piano terra nel Colosseo”; (right) “Roma 1821. / T.79.”

Condition: richly inked, superb impression with wide margins. The sheet is in excellent condition for its age (i.e. there are no holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing, but there is a small closed tear on the upper left edge of the margin).

I am selling this huge etching showing a ground level walkway inside the Colosseum—note how Rossini (like Piranesi) gave a touch of theatricality to his depiction of buildings by using strong chiaroscuro lighting and by ensuring that any awestruck visitors were appropriately small—for a total cost of AU$480 (currently US$330.33/EUR298.22/GBP264.11 at the time of posting 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 spectacularly large and rare print—it is not in the collection of the British Museum or the Rijksmuseum—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

Luigi Kasimir's etching (with aquatint), “Salzburg”, 1909

Luigi Kasimir (1881–1962)

“Salzburg”, 1909, published in 1923 for the deluxe edition (150 copies) of “Das Buch von der schönen Stadt Salzburg” (The book of the beautiful city Salzburg) in Vienna, Leipzig by Heller & Cie, in which this print was included “in an enclosed portfolio” (see https://www.zvab.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=22863284991&searchurl=an%3Dkasimir%26hl%3Don%26sortby%3D20%26tn%3Dsalzburg&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-image30).

Etching and aquatint printed in sepia coloured ink on fine ivory wove paper.

Size: (sheet) 30.4 x 20.9 cm; (plate) 15.6 x 11.5 cm.

Inscribed on plate: (lower left) “Salzburg … [the next word is difficult for me to decipher but it may be “Charfreitag” (Good Friday)] / 1909.”

Signed in pencil below the platemark: “Luigi Kasimir”

Condition: richly inked and near faultless impression with generous margins laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet is in excellent condition (i.e. there are no holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing, but there is a small closed tear on the left margin edge).

I am selling this sensitively executed etching featuring the distant domes of the Salzburg Cathedral peeping above a screen of buildings—to my eyes an image that is full of light and space—for AU$300 in total (currently US$206.46/EUR186.39/GBP165.07 at the time of posting this print) 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 small, but graphically dazzling, pencil-signed etching, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Elioth Gruner's drypoint, “The Pines”, 1919

Elioth Gruner (1882–1939)

“The Pines”, 1919

Drypoint printed with brown ink and plate tone on ivory wove paper in an edition of 27 impressions, signed in pencil by the artist with the edition number and title.

Size: (sheet) 30.1 x 25.6 cm; (plate) 16.9 x 13.8 cm.

Inscribed in pencil below the plate mark: (left) “No. 27” (Note: the “7” reveals an overwritten amendment to the number “6” originally inscribed); (centre) “The Pines”; (right) “E Gruner”.

See the description of this print offered by the Art Gallery of New South Wales (Sydney):

https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/266.1990/

In this description, Anne Ryan (2007) offers the following insights about Gruner’s prints:

“Elioth Gruner produced only a few prints, all drypoints, possibly inspired by the work of his friend Norman Lindsay, or by a small etching sent to him by Hans Heysen. Gruner liked the feathery, romantic quality of line made using the drypoint method, as well as the directness with which it can be made on a plate, which suited his practice of working en plein air. He would occasionally print a plate using different quantities and wiping of ink, to create a different effects of light in the printed images.”

(Anne Ryan [2007], “Australian Etchings and Engravings 1880s–1930s from the Gallery's Collection”, Sydney, AGNSW)

Condition: richly inked, sensitively wiped and well-printed impression with generous margins laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet is in a very good condition with a few restored pin holes and tiny fractures (virtually invisible), but there are no tears, folds, significant stains beyond a few dots at the outer edge and there is pale age toning.

I am selling this darkly glowing and exceptionally rare drypoint for AU$1650 in total (currently US$1135.50/EUR1025.13/GBP907.89 at the time of posting this print) 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 small masterpiece of Australian printmaking capturing Gruner’s love for contre-jour compositions (i.e. scenes where the light source is directly behind the subject), please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.