Gijsbert van Veen’s engraving, “Chronos Expelled”, c1607/12

Gijsbert van Veen (aka Gysbrecht van Veen; Gijsbert Vaenius; Gisbert Venius) (1558–1628), possibly designed in collaboration with his brother, Otto van Veen’s (aka Otho Venius; Octavio van Veen; Otho Vaenius) (1556–1629)—the teacher of Rubens

“Chronos Expelled” (aka “Tempus Rite Impensum Sapiens Non Revocat”; “The Wise Do Not Regret Time Expended Well”), c1607/12, published in Antwerp by Prostant apud Philippum Lisaert in 1612, as an illustration shown on the facing page to page 170 in Otto van Veen’s “Quinti Horatii Flacci Emblemata, Imaginibus in Æs Incisis, Notisque, Illustrata” (The emblems of Quintus Horatius Flaccus, illustrated with images engraved on them, and noted) with accompanying lines from Horace’s (aka Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) “Odes”, Book III, 29, lines 41–48: ("___ he who is powerful of his own,/ Lives happily, to whom it may be in the day/ To have said, I have lived …” (“___ ille potens sui,/ Laetusque deget, cui licet in diem/ Dixesse, vixi …”).

The following translation of the accompanying text for this illustration may help to give the flavour of the writing (my apologies for errors in the translation): “The wise man is not weighed down by the time well spent, because he goes out to say goodbye gratefully, and time consents to him, that he is paid for the good that has served him in his years; …” (p. 170).

Archive.org offers an online view of this print in its context in the publication: https://archive.org/details/quintihoratiifla00veen/page/171/mode/2up.

Note that this impression is from a Latin edition that is different from the publication showcased by Archive.org (based on looking at the layout when the print is held to the light).

Engraving on fine laid paper trimmed around the image borderline (or slightly within) and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (support sheet) 30.9 x 26.6 cm; (sheet) 17.9 x 14.8 cm.

Condition: a well-printed impression, trimmed slightly unevenly around the image borderline and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins. The sheet is in a very good condition for its age, with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing.

I am selling this marvellous emblem print with Father Time (aka Chronos) wearing his attribute of an hourglass on his head and carrying his famous leveller of men—the scythe—being expelled from what appears to be a monastery, for the total cost of AU$237 (currently US$168.36/EUR154.25/GBP135.93 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 visual reminder that time enjoyed may not be wasted time, 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