Alfred
Rethel (1816–1859)
“Der Tod als Freund” (Death the Friend), 1851, published by Julius
Buddeus (fl.1830s–52) and Hugo Leopold Friedrich Heinrich Bürkner (1818–97),
block cut by Richard Julius Jungtow (1828–[after]1851), printed by Breitkopf
and Härtel (fl.1719–1897).
Wood-engraving on wove paper
Size: (sheet) 50.8 x 37.9 cm; (image borderline) 30.5 x 27.5 cm
Lettered within image with artist's initials and “J. Jungtow”,
below the image, with title, production and publication details: “Herausgegeben
aus der Akademie der Holzschneidekunst von H. Bürkner in Dresden” and “Erschienen
bei Ed. Schulte (J.Buddeus'sche Buch- und Kunsthandl. in Düsseldorf.” and “Druck
von Breitkopf und Härtel in Leipzig”.
Manteuffel 1926 25 (iib) (Kurt Zoege von Manteuffel 1926, “Alfred
Rethel ... mit einem ... kritischen Verzeichnis der Bilddrucke”, Hamburg)
The British Museum offers the following description of this print:
“Death tolling the church bells for the aged man seated on the
right; stairs to left; view into the distance with setting sun in the
background. 1851 Wood-engraving”
The curator of the BM also offers the following comment:
“Edward Burne-Jones greatly admired Rethel and wanted to produce
'100.000 woodcuts as big as "Death the Friend" or bigger,
(G.Burne-Jones, vol I, London, 1993, p. 255) cf Bartrum: 'Dürer and his
Legacy', 2002, cat. 273”
Condition: well-printed impression with full margins (as
published) in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds,
abrasions, significant stains or foxing, nevertheless, there is a dot-like mark
that is visible in the margin at upper right but I suspect that this may be a
natural flaw in the paper rather than a stain).
I am selling this famous wood-engraving along with “Death the
Avenger” for the combined total cost of AU$400 for the pair of prints (currently US$313.50/EUR262.43/GBP232.22
at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the
world.
If you are interested these masterpieces of wood-engraving, please
contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal
invoice to make the payment easy.
Both prints have been sold
Images of death are often fraught with the macabre figure of the
grim reaper with his hideous scythe causing havoc among mere mortals. This
superb wood engraving, however, is very different. It reveals a rare serene scene
of the imminent death of an elderly gentleman resting in an armchair near a
window overlooking the setting sun as the figure of death—this time without his
scythe—marks the gentleman’s passing by ringing a bell announcing his final evening
prayer.
Alfred
Rethel (1816–1859)
Der Tod als Erwürger - Erster Auftritt der Cholera auf einem
Maskenball in Paris 1831” (Death the Strangler/Avenger—The first outbreak of cholera at a
masked ball in Paris 1831), 1851, published by Julius Buddeus (fl.1830s–52) and Hugo Leopold Friedrich Heinrich Bürkner (1818–97),
block cut by Gustav Richard Steinbrecher
(fl.1828–48).
Wood-engraving on wove paper
Size: (sheet) 50.8 x 37.5 cm; (image borderline) 31.2 x 27.6 cm
Lettered with title, production and publication details: “Herausgegeben
aus der Akademie der Holzschneidekunst von H. Bürkner in Dresden” and “Erschienen
bei Ed. Schulte (J.Buddeus'sche Buch- und Kunsthandl. in Düsseldorf.” and “Druck
von Breitkopf und Härtel in Leipzig”.
Manteuffel 1926 24.III (Kurt Zoege von Manteuffel 1926, “Alfred
Rethel ... mit einem ... kritischen Verzeichnis der Bilddrucke”, Hamburg)
The British Museum offers the following description of this print:
“In the centre, Death personified, holding two bones as if he was
playing the violin; surrounding him, the bodies of three dead people lying on
the floor; in the top left corner, a group of musicians leaving the room; in
the background to right; Cholera personified, dressed in Egyptian fancy dress
seated on stairs. 1851 Wood-engraving”
Condition: well-printed impression with full margins (as
published) in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds,
abrasions, significant stains or foxing, nevertheless, there is a small
scattering of dot staining that is visible verso).
I am selling this famous wood-engraving along with “Death the
Friend” for the combined total cost of AU$400 for the pair of prints (currently US$313.50/EUR262.43/GBP232.22
at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the
world.
If you are interested these masterpieces of wood-engraving, please
contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal
invoice to make the payment easy.
Unlike the previous print, "Death the Friend", the image
here fits more with the tradition of showing the havoc reaped by the grim
figure of death. As the inscribed title of the print advises, the subject of
the image is about the first outbreak of cholera in Paris at a masked ball in
1831. Although the figure of death is portrayed as a somewhat sensitive
violinist playing bones instead of a violin, to my eyes, the full horror of the
scene is evoked by the juxtaposition of this figure’s calm elegance—note the
graceful, perhaps even sexy, Beyoncé-like position of the forward foot—set against
the turmoil of the distressed fleeing guests.
Regarding Rethel’s choice of subject in this and the previous print, the curator of the British Museum offers the following insightful comment:
“The influence of sixteenth-century images of death on Rethel is demonstrated in these two prints `Death the Strangler` and its companion, `Death the Friend` (cat.no 273). The most obvious source being the series of 41 woodcuts of the Dance of Death of 1538 designed by Holbein the Younger. But Rethel`s interpretation of Death as an overwhelmingly menacing force which dominates the entire composition derives ultimately from Dürer, whose radical image of a destructive power sweeping away all in its path in ` The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse` had a pervasive influence ( cat.no 271).”
Beautiful images. Great resource of info. My thanks.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Jeffrey
ReplyDelete