Dirck Volkertsz. Coornhert’s engraving, “King Francis Taken Prisoner at the Battle of Pavia”, 1555, after Maarten van Heemskerck

Dirck Volkertsz. Coornhert (aka Dirk Volkertsz Coornhert; Dirk Volkertsz Cuerenhert) (1522–1590)

Note: “The Illustrated Bartsch” (1991) catalogue raisonné for Coornhert lists this print as by the hand of Dirck Volkertsz. Coornhert (vol. 55 [Supplement], p. 243), but the Rijksmuseum is more tentative and advises that it is possibly by Coornhert or possibly by Cornelis Bos (c1506/10–1555).

“King Francis Taken Prisoner at the Battle of Pavia” (TIB title) (aka “Captured by Francis I during the Battle of Pavia, 1525” [Rijksmuseum title]), 1555, plate 2 from the series of twelve plates, “The Victories of Charles V (1555–56)” (aka “Divi Caroli. V. imp. opt. max. victoriae, ex multis praecipuae”), after the design by Maarten van Heemskerck (aka Martin Heemskerk; Maarten van Veen) (1498–1574), published by Hieronymus Cock (aka Jérome Cock) (c1517–1570) in Antwerp.

Engraving and etching trimmed around the image borderline (with loss of Latin text below the borderline) and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 14.6 x 23.3 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (lower left) “II”; (lower right on shield rim) “MH [ligature letters] eemskerk Inuent.”

State ii or later (of iv) Note: Although this impression is not from the first state, because it has the plate number (“II”), the loss of the text lines below the image borderline make the attribution of the exact state problematic.

TIB 5501.070.2 (Ilja M Veldman [ed.] 1991, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Dirck Volkertsz. Coornhert”, vol. 55 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 243, cat. no. [5501].070.2); Hollstein 217 (F W H. Hollstein 1951, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts c.1450–1700: Brun to Coques”, vol. 4, Amsterdam, Menno Hertzbergerp, p. 231, cat. no. 217).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(Transl.) “The capture of Francis I, King of France, at the Battle of Pavia (1525). The king on horseback is surrounded by three knights, also on horseback. In the foreground is the body of a defeated knight. In the background tents and armies with the city of Pavia in the distance. The print is part of a twelve-part series about the victories of Charles V”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.98309).

See also the description of this print by the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0208-58.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression showing very little wear to the plate but there are many small replenished losses and restored tears. The sheet is trimmed around the image borderline with loss of the lower margin and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this extraordinary (but restored) Renaissance period battle scene for AU$302 (currently US$222.51/EUR186.78/GBP166.54 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 remarkable engraving almost shimmering with action and the reflections of shiny armour, 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