Jacques Callot’s etching, “The Blind Man and His Companion”, 1622/3

Jacques Callot (1592–1635)

“The Blind Man and His Companion” (aka “L'Aveugle et Son Compagnon”), 1622/3, first state lifetime impression (before numbering as plate “9”) from the series of 25 etchings, “Les Gueux” (aka “The Beggars”; “Les Mendiants”; “Les Baroni”; “Les Barons”; “Bedelaars”).

Etching on fine laid paper trimmed along the platemark and backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (support sheet) 33.4 x 25.5 cm; (sheet) 14 x 9.2 cm.

State i (of ii) before the plate number, “9”, is added in the second state.

Lieure 487 i (Jules Lieure 1989, “Jacques Callot: Catalogue Raisonné de l’Oeuvre Gravé”, vol. 1 [text], San Francisco, Alan Wofsy Fine Arts, p. 43, cat. no. 487 1er Etat); Meaume 693 i (Édouard Meaume 1860, “Recherches sur la vie et les ouvrages de Jacques Callot”, Paris, cat. no. 693).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print: “Two men dressed in rags, the one on the left holding a hat and holding the hand of the right, who is blind. This print is part of a series of 25 prints with beggars and vagabonds, such as Callot probably saw in Italy” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.40788).

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1861-0713-930.

Condition: a strong and well-printed (near faultless) impression laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains, but a previous collector’s pencil notations on verso are visible through the fine paper.

I am selling this superb etching showcasing Callot’s use of the échoppe etching needle that he invented allowing etchers to create lines that may swell, thin and taper to finely pointed ends like those found in engraved lines, for the total cost of AU$312 (currently US$202.93/EUR206.58/GBP181.82 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 near faultless first state impression of an etching by one of the most important and innovative of the old master printmakers, showing two beggars with the one on the left (according to Jules Lieure's [1989] description) singing to arouse the charity of passers-by, to whom he extends his hat while also supporting his blind companion, 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

Jacques Callot’s etching, “Nativitas Mariae Virginis”, c1633, after Ventura Salimbeni

Jacques Callot (1592–1635)

“Nativitas Mariae Virginis” (aka “Naissance de la Vierge Marie”; “The Birth of the Virgin Mary”), c1633/34, plate 1 from the series of fourteen etchings, “Vita et historia beatae Mariae virginis matris Dei” (Life and story of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of God) , published in Paris by Israël Henriet (c1590–1661), in reverse after the pen and wash study (c1605–10) in the National Gallery of Washington (Wolfgang Ratjen Collection) (see BM Curator’s comment for inv. no. 1861,0713.137) by Ventura Salimbeni (aka [Cavaliere] Bevilacqua) (1568–1613) for the altarpiece in San Domenico, Ferrara.

Etching on fine laid paper trimmed around the platemark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 7.1 x 4.6 cm; (image borderline) 6.5 x 4.4 cm.

Inscribed in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Callot/ fecit.”; (centre) “Nativitas Mariae Virginis./ 1.”; (right) “Israel/ excud.”.

State iii (of iii) with the addition of the plate number (“1”).

Lieure 1358.iii (Jules Lieure 1989, “Jacques Callot: Catalogue Raisonné de l’Oeuvre Gravé”, vol. 1 [text], San Francisco, Alan Wofsy Fine Arts, p. 79); Meaume 77.

Jules Lieure (1989) offers the following description of this print: “[transl.] In the background on the left, Ste Anne is lying in her bed and cheerful cherubs fly overhead of her head, in a cloud illuminated by rays divine. In the foreground, women are hurrying around the Virgin Mary who has just been born” (vol. 1, p. 79).

See also the description offered by The British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1861-0713-137.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plage, trimmed around the platemark and laid upon a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. Beyond minor chips to the lower edge, the sheet is in an excellent condition for its considerable age with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing.

I am selling this tiny jewel of etching—a true tour de force of disciplined control and amazing skill in the use of the etching needle (mindful that the etching needle employed by Callot was his famous échoppe that he developed to create swelling lines like those of engraving)—for the total cost of AU$328 (currently US$245.87/EUR222.51/GBP187.57 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 very  beautiful etching by one of the most important and innovative of the old master printmakers—beyond Callot’s development of the échoppe etching needle allowing etchers to duplicate the effects of engraved lines, Callot also developed the technique of “stopping out” allowing etchers to create lighter lines in the distance (as seen here)—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 

Jacques Callot's etching, “St Matthew”, c1631

Jacques Callot (1592–1635)

“St Matthew”, c1631, plate 12 from the series of 16 plates, “Salvatoris Beatae Mariae Virginis Sanctorum Apostolorum Icones” (aka “Les Grands Apôtres”), published by Israël Henriet (c1590–1661) in 1631.

Etching on laid paper trimmed along the platemark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 13.9 x 9 cm

Inscribed on plate with the name of the publisher and royal privilege: (lower right) “Israel excud./ Cum Privi. Regis.”

State ii (of iii) lifetime impression, with the address of the publisher but before numbering.

Lieure 1927 1311.II (J Lieure 1927, “Jacques Callot”, 3 vols, Paris, Editions de la Gazette des Beaux-Arts); Meaume 1860 118.II (Édouard Meaume 1860, “Recherches sur la vie et les ouvrages de Jacques Callot”, 2 volumes, Paris).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“St Matthew, standing whole-length in profile to right, with hands clasped; in the background, representation of the saint's martyrdom on the left and of the saint with his head surmounted by a cloud on the right.”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1574883&partId=1&searchText=callot+St+Matthew&page=1)

Condition: marvellous, richly inked impression trimmed along the image platemark and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet is in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or significant signs of use).

I am selling this superb etching revealing Callot’s skill in using the famous etching needle that he developed—the “échoppe”—that enabled him to make swelling lines, for AU$285 (currently US$203.57/EUR180.57/GBP155.37 at the time of posting this print) 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 strong, lifetime impression of a very rare print in near pristine condition, 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

Jacques Callot's etching, "St Simon", c1631

Jacques Callot (1592–1635)

“St Simon”, c1631, from the series of 16 plates, “Salvatoris Beatae Mariae Virginis Sanctorum Apostolorum Icones” (aka “Les Grands Apôtres”), published by Israël Henriet (c1590–1661) in 1631.

Etching on laid paper trimmed along the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 14.1 x 9 cm

Inscribed on plate: (lower left) “Callot fec.”; (lower right) “Israel excud.”

State ii (of iii) lifetime impression, with the address of the publisher but before numbering.

Lieure 1927 1310.II (J Lieure 1927, “Jacques Callot”, 3 vols, Paris, Editions de la Gazette des Beaux-Arts); Meaume 1860 117.II (of III) (Édouard Meaume 1860, “Recherches sur la vie et les ouvrages de Jacques Callot”, 2 volumes, Paris).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print from the third state:

“St Simon, standing whole-length, turned to right, reading a book through spectacles and leaning on a saw; in the background, representation of the saint preaching to a crowd on the left and of his martyrdom on the right.”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1574888&partId=1&searchText=callot+simon+&page=1)

Condition: marvellous, richly inked impression trimmed along the image borderline and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet is in excellent condition with very few marks for its considerable age.

I am selling this superb etching revealing Callot’s skill in using the famous etching needle that he developed—the “échoppe”—that enabled him to make swelling lines, for AU$285 (currently US$201.74/EUR177.33/GBP152.88 at the time of posting this print) 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 strong impression of a very rare print, 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