Hans Weiditz II’s woodcut, “A Woman Standing, Almost Nude”, 1531

Hans Weiditz II (aka Petrarch Master; Meister des Trostspiegels) (c1500–c1536)

“A Woman Standing, Almost Nude” (Dobson title; cat. no. 93), 1531, woodcut illustration facing page 31 (XXXI) to Marcus Tullius Cicero’s (106–43 BCE) “Officia” (aka “Officia M.T.C.: ein Bůch, so Marcus Tullius Cicero der Römer, zů seynem Sune Marco, von den tugentsamen Ämptern vnd Zůgehörungen, eynes wol vnd rechtlebenden Menschen”), translated by Johann Neuber and Johann von Schwarzenberg (1463–1528), published in Augsburg and printed by Heinrich Steiner (1522–1548). Note that Dobson (1911) advises that there were three editions of the “Offiia” published in the year 1531 and mentions that later editions were published between 1532 and 1545 (see vol. 2, p.177).

Archive.org offers an online view of this print in its context in the publication: https://archive.org/details/gri_33125012281362/page/n77/mode/2up.   

Woodcut on laid paper trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline with letterpress German text and a fragment of another woodcut verso (see https://archive.org/details/gri_33125012281362/page/n76/mode/1up).

Size: (sheet) 16 x 8.4 cm; (image borderline) 15.8 x 8.2 cm.

Dodgson 93 (Campbell Dodgson 1911, “Catalogue of Early German and Flemish Woodcuts Preserved in the Department of Prints and Drawings of the British Museum”, vol. 2, London, British Museum, p. 176, cat. no. 93).

See the description of this print offered by the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_E-7-87.

Condition: a strong early/lifetime impression (based on the quality of line showing minimal signs of wear to the printing plate). The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds or significant stains. The verso of the sheet has remnants of mounting and pencil notations from a previous collector.

I am selling this remarkable woodcut of a loosely draped female standing in an archway—note the skill required to cut the wood plate with tiny lozenge/diamond shapes aligned in such a way as to create the illusion that the background is shaded with cross-hatched strokes—for the total cost of AU$257 (currently US$171.78/EUR155.43/GBP136.82 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 rarely seen old master woodcut on the art market, 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