Hendrik Goltzius’ engraving, “Honor and Opulence”, 1582

Hendrik Goltzius (aka Hendrick Goltzius) (1558–1617)

“Honor and Opulence” (TIB title) (aka “Les richesses et les honneurs”; “Honor and Wealth”; “Eer en Rijkdom”), 1582, plate three from the series of four plates, “Ways and Means to Fortune” (aka “The Rewards of Labour, Industry, Practice and Art”), published by Hendrik Goltzius in Haarlem.

Regarding the series, “Ways and Means to Fortune”, Walter L Strauss (TIB 1982) advises that “Goltzius’s primary artistic concern is the stance and anatomy of the female nude” and proposes that “Antoni van Blocklandt’s influence is manifest” (p. 106, cat. no. [0301].110).

Engraving on laid paper with watermark of Amsterdam (1600), “Coat of Arms Surmounted by Caduceus” (TIB.242-.245; Briquent 5516), with small margins around the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 24.4 x 17.2 cm; (plate) 20 x 14 cm; (image borderline) 18.2 x 13.4 cm.

Numbered and lettered in plate within the image borderline: (upper left) “Honor”; (upper centre) “Opulentia”; (lower left) “3.“; (lower right) “[ligature initials] HGoltzius fecit.”

Lettered in two lines of Latin and two lines of Dutch below the image borderline: “Mutua Diuitiæ et Laus … van beswarē” ([transl. "Here Wealth and Honour are shown in love/ Would that our life be free of sorrow").

A lifetime impression based on the quality of line showing no sign of wear to the printing plate and the date of the watermark (1600).

TIB 0301.112 (Walter L Strauss [ed.] 1982, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Netherlandish Artists: Hendrik Goltzius”, vol. 3 [Commentary], New York, Abaris Books, p. 107, cat. no. [0301].112); New Hollstein Dutch 201 (Marjolein Leesberg [comp.] 2012, “The new Hollstein Dutch & Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts 1450–1700: Hendrick Goltzius”, vol. 1, Ouderkerk aan den Ijssel, Sound & Vision, p. 17, cat. no. 201).

Walter L Strauss (TIB 1982) offers the following description of this print: “The nude man, Honor, is sitting on the ground, crown, scepter, and laurel wreath next to him, while he is gently kissing Opulence, who is holding a bowl of gold coins in her left hand. His foot transgresses the frame. The palm and seascape in the background suggest a Mediterranean setting” (p. 107).

See also the descriptions of this print offered by The Rijksmuseum and The British Museum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.364998  & https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1854-0513-129.

Condition: a well-printed (near faultless) impression with margins around the platemark. Beyond a area of thinning to the margin at lower left, the sheet is in a near pristine condition for its considerable age.

I am selling this lifetime impression (based on the line quality and the paper watermark from 1600) by the almost legendary Goltzius for the total price of AU$622 in total (currently US$440.73/EUR418.93/GBP356.87 at the time of posting 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 small masterwork executed towards the beginning of Goltzius’ career as an engraver and publisher, 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