Prints and Principles

Most of the recent posts give details about individual prints and earlier posts discuss some of the subtle principles guiding artists in making images meaningful and memorable. For prints that are unsold, click "Items still available for sale" below. All other prints are no longer available. My contact email is oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com and my Instagram username is @printsandprinciples. I have created a separate blog to show my own work: https://printsandprinciplesjamesbrown.blogspot.com

Saturday, 17 June 2023

Monogrammist FLB’s engraving, “Wolf Hunt”, 1574, after Jan van der Straet

(Rijksmuseum attrib.) Monogrammist FLB (fl.c1575)—The Curator of the British Museum advises: “The monogrammist FLB was erroneously identified as Hans Bol by Nagler” (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1880-0710-322).

“Wolf Hunt” (aka “Wolvenjacht”), 1574, plate 3 from the series, “Hunting Scenes” (aka “Jachttaferelen”), after a drawing by Jan van der Straet (aka Joannes Stradanus; Ioannes Stradanus) (1523–1605), possibly published by Adriaen Collaert (c1560–1618) in Antwerp (as proposed by the Rijksmuseum) or Hieronymus Cock (Jérome Cock) (1517/8–1570) whose name appears on plate 2 in this series (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1957-0413-243).

Engraving on laid paper with watermark.

Size: (sheet) 25.1 x 33 cm; (plate) 23 x 30.4 cm; (image borderline) 22.7 x 30.2 cm.

Inscribed in plate: (lower left) “Ioannes Strada/ nus inuenter”.

Lettered and numbered in plate below the image borderline: “Hic currente lupo per aperti gramina campi, Inuebitur venator equo, currente Moloβo// Spicula contorquet, rapidi sua terga sequuntour/ Sedula turba canes, canibus fit preda cruentis.// ^.3^.”

(Trans.) “Here the wolf runs through the open grass of the field, the hunter will be found on the horse, the [Molossian dogs] running// He twists the spikes, his swift back follows the dogged crowd, the dogs become a bloody prey.// ^.3^.”

New Hollstein Dutch 411 (Marjolein Leesberg [comp.] 2008, “The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: Johannes Stradanus”, vol. 3, Ouderkerk aan den Ijssel, Amsterdam: Sound and Vision Rijksmuseum, Ouderkerk aan den IJssel; Amsterdam: Sound and Vision Rijksmuseum, p. 123, cat. no. 411).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Plate 3, Wolf Hunt; in the centre a hunter on a rearing horse [thrusts] a spear down towards a wolf at the lower left, which is attacked by dogs and a huntsman on foot with a pike; in the background other scenes from the hunt are seen within an enclosure bordered by an extensive netted fence erected in the distance; a hilly landscape beyond. 1574 (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1957-0413-242).

See also the description (and attribution of the name of the printmaker) offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.420298.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression with margins (approx. 1 cm). There are fractures in the margin otherwise the sheet is in an excellent condition with no significant tears or stains.

I am selling this very rare engraving, for the total cost of AU$320 (currently US$213.89/EUR193.53/GBP170.36 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 exceptionally fine engraving, 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