Jean Leclerc's etching, "Rest on the Flight into Egypt”, c.1606–33, after Carlo Saraceni

Jean Leclerc (aka Jean Le Clerc) (1586–1633); formerly attributed to José de Ribera (aka Jusepe de Ribera; Spagnoletto; Espagnolet; Spaniolet; Joseph de Ribeira; Giuseppe de Ribera) (1591–1652)

“Rest on the Flight into Egypt” (aka “Repos en Egypte”), c.1606–33, after the painting of the same composition (1606) in the Eremo dei Camaldolesi, Frascati, executed by Carlo Saraceni (c.1579 – 1620), published by Frans van den Wijngaerde (1614–1679).

Note that the British Museum holds a copy in reverse of this impression published by Jean Vallet (c.fl.1600–1636): https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1481155&partId=1&searchText=Jean+Leclerc&page=1

Etching on laid paper trimmed with tread margins around the image borderline, restored upper left corner and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 30.1 x 23.1 cm; (image borderline) 29.8 x 22.8 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (lower left) “Carolus Saracenus Inuent”; (lower centre) [monogram of José de Ribera].

State ii (of ii) with the monogram of Ribera.

TIB 44 (20) [19] (87) (with the former attribution to Giuseppe Ribera) (Paolo Bellini & Mark Carter Leach [eds.] 1983, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Masters of the Seventeenth Century”, vol. 44, New York, Abaris Books, p. 288, cat. no. [19]); Bartsch 19; Le Blanc II.518; Robert-Dumesnil 1835-71 V.1.II (as Leclerc); Brown 1989.20 (as a rejected attribution to Ribera).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Rest on the Flight to Egypt, after Saraceni: Virgin sitting under a palm tree with Child on her knees, listening to three angels singing, and Joseph leading the donkey by the halter and pointing at a fourth angel picking dates”

(https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1350311&partId=1&searchText=Jean+Leclerc&page=1).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(transl.) “Mary sitting by a palm tree, the Christ child on her lap. To her left Joseph, he holds the donkey on a rope. To the right of her four angels”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.42690).

See also the brief description offered by the Yale University Art Museum:

https://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/16687

Condition: very good impression showing minor wear to the printing plate, with restored upper left corner, trimmed with a thread margin around the image borderline and laid upon a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this strong etching showing the Holy Family resting on their journey to escape King Herod’s edict to have all newly born male children killed—note the angles singing to them from scored music and gathering dates for a simple meal—for AU$412 (currently US$276/EUR255.41/GBP212.07 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 visually engaging scene involving not only the suggestion of singing and animated gestures, but also the subtle visual device of having the donkey on the left look at the viewer so that the viewer reflexively feels part of this biblical scene, 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