Wendel Dietterlin’s etching, “Cartouche on a Pedestal Flanked by Lions and a Unicorn”, c1594

Wendel Dietterlin (the elder) (aka Wendel Dietterlein; Wendelin Dietterlin; Wendelin Grapp; Wendel Grapp) (1550/51–1599)

“Cartouche on a Pedestal Flanked by Lions and a Unicorn”, c1594 (Rijksmuseum dates: 1593–1595), plate 27 from Dietterlin’s treatise on architectural ornament, “Wendel Dietterlin, Architectura de Polstium seu Portalium ornatu uario Liber II”, published in 1594 in Straatsburg by Bernhard Jobin (fl. 1570–1594) (see http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.736929), before the plate number was changed to “87” in later editions (see, for example, Balthasar Caymox’s edition in Nuremberg (https://archive.org/details/architectvravona00diet/page/87/mode/2up) and Liége C Claesen’s edition of 1862 (https://archive.org/details/gri_33125015064658/page/n182/mode/2up).

Etching (from an iron plate) on fine laid paper (with watermark).

Size: (sheet) 27.7 x 20.2 cm, (plate) 24.9 x 18.2 cm.

State i (of ii) (?) Lifetime impression before the change of the plate number to “87”

Orn Cat I 319-67 (Irene Margaretha de Groot 1988, “Ornamentprenten in het Rijksprentenkabinet”, Amsterdam, Rijksprentenkabinet, Rijksmuseum Staatsuitgeverij, vol. 1, p. 165, cat. nos. 319-67; Hollstein 17–1a (F.W.H. Hollstein 1959, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: Cranach–Drusse”, vol. 6, Amsterdam, Menno Hertzberger, p. 214, cat. no. 17–1a); Le Blanc 1 (Ch. Le Blanc 1854, “Manuel de l'amateur d'estampes, contenant un dictionnaire des graveurs de toutes les nations”, Paris, vol. 2, p. 131, cat. no. 1).

Condition: a well-printed impression printed in a slightly grey ink with small margins. Beyond a splash mark/stain on the lower edge and a faded ink number added by an old hand on the upper margin, the sheet is in a very good condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or foxing.

I am selling this extremely rare etching, executed by one of the early architectural visionaries of the 16th century who arguably perceived the five orders of architecture as only a point of departure for creative invention, for AU$272 in total (currently US$194.31/EUR173.09/GBP146 at the time of posting this print) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this amazingly inventive design for architectural ornamentation—note the magnificent mannerist twist that Dietterlin has given to his treatment of the rampant lions! —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