Unidentified printmaker/ Lucas Vorsterman I’s engraving, “Rest on the Flight into Egypt”, after Van Dyck

Unidentified printmaker or Lucas Vorsterman I (aka Lucas Aemilius Vorsterman) (1595–1675)

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Note that this print is inscribed in the plate at lower left, “L Volterman Sculp.”, but the misspelling of the Vorsterman’s name along with the incorrect attribution of the design to a painting by Rubens (1577–1640) (rather than a painting by Anthony van Dyck [1599–1641]) and the inscribed publisher’s name at lower right, as “Franciscus Huberti” instead of the shorter name “Frans Huberti” (aka Frans Huybrechts) (fl.1650–1687) for the well-known Antwerp-based publisher, (arguably) suggest that the “mistakes” were designed to deceive the art-market in the 1600s—of course I may be wrong and the “mistakes” are genuine oversights/deliberate choices. Be mindful that Schelte Adamsz. Bolswert (c.1586–1659) executed an engraving of the same design after the painting by Anthony van Dyck (and Cornelis de Vos) in the collection of the Hermitage Museum (St Petersburg, Russia); see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_R-2-15.

Interestingly, Charles Le Blanc (1890) in volume 4 of his famous dictionary of engravers, “Manuel de l'Amateur d'Estampes: Contenant le Dictionnaire des Graveurs de Toutes les Nations” (Paris, Emile Bouillon), catalogues this print on page 157 (cat. no. 100) as being by Lucas Vorsterman after Rubens with the date of the print’s execution as 1620.

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“Rest on the Flight into Egypt” (aka “Le Retour d'Egypte” [Le Blanc]), c.1670 (1650–1687), published in Antwerp (arguably) by Frans Huberti.

Engraving on laid paper trimmed with a small margin around the image borderline and the writing edge.

Size: (sheet) 32.6 x 43.8 cm; (image borderline) 31.7 x 43.3 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “L Volterman Sculp.”; (left-of-centre) “P. P. Rubens pinx^.”; (right) “Franciscus Huberti excudit Antuerpiæ.”

Le Blanc 100

Condition: richly inked and near faultless impression trimmed with a small margin around the image borderline and writing edge in very good condition with no tears, holes, folds, significant stains or foxing, with remnants of mounting verso.

I am selling this beautiful engraving from the 1600s showing cherubs making music and dancing to entertain the Holy Family resting on their flight into Egypt to escape King Herod who sought to kill the infant Jesus, for AU$313 (currently US$209.21/EUR189.29/GBP166.63 at the time of 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 superb impression of what may be an early attempt to (arguably) deceive the art-market of the 1600s by lettering the plate with misinformation regarding the engraver (inscribed as “L Volterman” rather than “L Vosterman”), the designer (inscribed as “Rubens” rather than “Van Dyck”) and perhaps even the publisher (inscribed as “Franciscus Huberti” rather than “Frans Huberti”—mindful that Frans Huberti is not known to use the extended name “Franciscus Huberti”), please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.