Etching of an ostrich hunt from Tempesta’s circle of artists, c.1598

Unidentified artist from Antonio Tempesta’s (1555?–1630) circle of artists: Egbert Jansz., Johann Theodor and Johann Israel de Bry

“Chasse à L’Autruche” (Ostrich Hunt), c.1598 (the attribution of the date is based on the Egbert Jansz’ mirror-image copy of this print; see the Media Storehouse website: http://www.mediastorehouse.com/landscape-with-ostrich-hunt-egbert-jansz/print/12774144.html)

Etching on fine laid paper trimmed to the platemark at the top and sides and with the lettered publication details removed and only the title retained below. The sheet has been laid on an early support sheet and lined again onto a conservator’s support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 8.9 x 12.6; (image borderline) 7.8 x 11.7 cm

Condition: good impression with the text lines partially removed and double lined on support sheets. Beyond the irregular cutting of the lower edge of the sheet the print is in good condition.

I am selling this small but extraordinary etching of an ostrich hunt for the total cost of AU$60 (currently US$45.82/EUR42.50/GBP36.67 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world when purchased with any other print.

If you are interested in purchasing this visually riveting 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

Images of animals being hunted and killed are not something that I would normally collect as I find the subject personally distressing. Consequently, I needed to find a justification to appease my guilt in possessing this extraordinary print. Mindful that I could never genuinely justify wanting to look at animals—especially ostriches—being hunted I devised the following justification for other sensitive souls who would like this print but are similarly uneasy with the sad plight of the ostriches portrayed:

This print embodies the spirit of the time in which it was executed. In one sense it captures the spirit of Mannerism that Tempesta leaned towards; for instance, note the heightened theatrically in the representation of the foreground ostrich in its state of dreadful panic. In another sense, the image has many of the hallmarks of the Baroque spirit wherein interconnected spiralling rhythms make images come alive.