Hendrik Goltzius’ engraving, “The Martyrdom of Saints Simon and Judas Thaddaeus”, c1578

Hendrik Goltzius (aka Hendrick Goltzius) (1558–1617)

“The Martyrdom of Saints Simon and Judas Thaddaeus” (TIB title) (aka “Sts. Judas Thadeus and Simon the Zealot”), c1578 (1576–1580), plate 10 from the series of thirteen engravings, “Martyrdom of the Apostles” after the design by Maarten de Vos (aka Maarten de Vos; Maerten de Vos) (1532–1603), published in Antwerp by the widow of Hieronymus Cock (aka Jérome Cock) (c1517/18-1570) through the publishing house, “Aux 4 vents” (To the Four Winds).

Engraving on fine laid paper trimmed slightly irregularly along the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 20.5 x 28.1 cm; (image borderline) 18.8 x 27.8 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (in nimbuses at upper left) “S. Simon.”; “S. Judas Thadeus”; (lower right corner) “Aux.4.vents.”

Lettered and numbered in plate below the image borderline: “Hic summo adsurgunt celo duo lumina, pacis/ Semina qui iaciunt peregrinum leta per orbem,// 10// Sed cum Idola facris expellunt impia templis/ Occumbunt gladijs velut agni, et sijdera scandût.”

TIB 0301.112 (Walter L Strauss [ed.] 1982, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Netherlandish Artists: Hendrik Goltzius”, vol. 3 [Commentary], New York, Abaris Books, p. 330, cat. no. [0301].295e); Holstein Dutch 359.

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “Simon and Judas Thaddeus are attacked by soldiers with different weapons (sword, axe, halberd); to the left of this scene, they are depicted again, Simon with a saw and Judas Thaddeus with an inverted cross in his hand. Below the [image are] two lines of Latin. This print is part of a series of 13 prints of Christ (unnumbered) and the apostles (numbered), more specifically of the tortures they underwent.” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.450870)

Walter L Strauss (TIB 1982) offers the following insights about this print: “On the left are Saint Simon with a saw, the instrument of his martyrdom, and Saint Judas Thaddaeus with a large T-square. Both apostles were brothers of Saint James the Lesser. According to legend, Simon preached in Egypt and Thaddaeus in Mesopotamia. Later they both went to Persia where they endured their martyrdom.” (p. 330, cat. no. [0301].295e).

Condition: a well-printed (near faultless) impression with narrow margins trimmed slightly irregularly around the image borderline. Beyond several small tears and minor remnants of glue verso, the sheet is in an excellent condition for its considerable age.

I am selling this lifetime impression (based on the line quality showing no sign of wear to the printing plate) by the almost legendary Goltzius, for the total price of AU$439 in total (currently US$304.43/EUR250.33/GBP250.27 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 superb engraving by one of the most famous of the old master printmakers, 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

Hendrik Goltzius’ engraving, “The Martyrdom of Saint Philip the Apostle”, c1580, after Maarten de Vos

Hendrik Goltzius (aka Hendrick Goltzius)  (1558–1617)

“The Martyrdom of Saint Philip the Apostle” (aka “The martyrdom of Saint Philippe”; “Het martelaarschap van Filippus”), 1577–1582, plate 7 from the series of 12 engravings, “The Martyrdom of Christ and the Apostles” (aka “Het martelaarschap van Christus en de apostelen”), after the design by Maarten de Vos (aka Maarten de Vos; Maerten de Vos) (1532–1603), published in Antwerp by Aux Quatre Vents (To the Four Winds)—a firm established by Hieronymus Cock (1505-1575) in 1548, but this print was published when the firm was taken over by Cock’s widow, Volcxken Diercx, until her death in 1600.

Regarding the number of plates in the series, according to the Rijksmuseum there are 13 engravings in the series, but the TIB catalogue advises that there are 12 plates in the series [see 0301.294a]) and cites the numbers inscribed on the plates. The anomaly with the Rijksmuseum's count of 13 in the series may have arisen because the inscribed number (“11”) on plate 11, “The Martyrdom of Saint Paul”, was altered to “13” in the second state.

Engraving on laid paper trimmed around the image borderline (with loss of the margin text) and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 19.9 x 28.9 cm.

Inscribed on plate: (upper right) “ S. Philippus.”; (almost completely erased below shovel at lower left): “[Aux.4.vents]”.

TIB 0301.295b (Walter L Strauss [ed.] 1982, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Netherlandish Artists: Hendrik Goltzius”, vol. 3 [Commentary], Abaris Books, New York, p. 330, cat. no. [0301].195b); Hollstein Dutch 356

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(Transl.) “Philip is crucified; to the right of the scene of his martyrdom he is depicted again, with a cross in one hand and a book in the other. Two lines of Latin underneath the depiction. This print is part of a series of 13 prints of Christ (unnumbered) and the apostles (numbered), more specifically of the torture they underwent” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.450857).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression, trimmed around the image borderline (with loss of the text in the lower margin) and laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this exceptionally rare engraving—note that the British Museum does not hold a copy of this print—executed at the very beginning of Goltzius’ career as one of the most important of the old master printmakers, for the total cost of AU$512 (currently US$390.72/EUR331.69/GBP282.29 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 early work by one of history’s most important printmakers, 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