Bernard Picart, “Hell”, 1730, after Abraham van Diepenbeeck

Workshop of Bernard Picart (1673–1733)

“Hell” (also known as “Les Enfers”), 1730

Technical Details & Condition:

Etching with engraving, printed from two plates on laid paper, with full margins as issued. Plate LV (55) to the series of sixty plates, “Le Temple des Muses”, published in 1733 in the first French edition by Zacharias Chatelain (active 1705–1733) in Amsterdam.

Archive.org offers an online view of this print in its context in the publication, facing page 138: https://archive.org/details/gri_33125012263162/page/n257/mode/2up.

The Curator of the British Museum notes: “Each illustration comes with an ornate border. There are at least 14 types of border, each printed once from the same plate as the illustration they first frame, then re-used as a passe-partout for the other illustrations” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1878-0914-53).

The composition of the central scene is based on an original design by Abraham van Diepenbeeck (1596–1675) and follows a reverse composition executed collaboratively by Cornelis Bloemaert (1603–1692) and Theodor Matham (1605/6–1676), with Matham completing the background. (See previous listing: https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2016/11/cornelis-bloemaerts-engraving-les.html.) 

The outer frame plate is inscribed at the lower left: “B. Picart del. 1730”, indicating Bernard Picart designed and drew the decorative border. His role for the inner scene is recorded as “B. Picart direx”, showing he directed the workshop’s re-engraving of the older composition.

The impression is strong, exhibiting minimal signs of wear to the printing plate—indicative of an early impression. Aside from minor surface marks, the sheet is in excellent condition—free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, or significant stains.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 46.1 x 27.8 cm
• Platemark: 35.4 x 25.4 cm
• Inner image borderline: 23.5 x 18.1 cm

In-Plate Lettering:

• Below the central image: (left) “B. Picart direx”; (centre) “LES ENFERS. / HELL. // Die hell. / De Helle.”
• Below the outer frame: (left) “B. Picart del. 1730.”

Price & Shipping:

AU$302 (approximately US$209.68 / €183.28 / £157.06), including worldwide express shipping. Please note: Import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in acquiring this simply fabulous etching (with engraving), depicting a view of Hell, printed from two plates, please contact oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless purchase.

This print has been sold

Cornelis Bloemaert, “Leandre and Hero”, c. 1655, after Abraham van Diepenbeeck

Cornelis Bloemaert (1603–1692) in collaboration with Theodor Matham (aka Dirk Matham) (1605/06–1676) (background landscape)

“Leandre and Hero” (aka “Leander Swims across the Hells Bridge to find Hero”; “Léandre Traverse l'Héllespont à la Nage pour Aller Trouver Héro”) c. 1655, after the design by Abraham van Diepenbeeck (aka Abraham van Diepenbeek; Abraham van Diepenbeke) (1596–1675), plate 35 in the series of 58 illustrations to Michel de Marolles’ (1600–1681) “Tableaux du Temple des Muses” (aka “Tableaux du temple des muses tirez du cabinet de feu Mr Favereau, et gravez en tailles-douces par les meilleurs maistres de son temps pour représenter les vertus et les vices, sur les plus illustres fables de l'antiquité, avec les descriptions, remarques et annotations”). This impression is possibly from a later edition.

Marcel Roethlisberger (1993), in “Abraham Bloemaert and His Sons,” notes that the publication of this series was a “complex publishing venture,” and that Pierre Mariette II (1634–1716) may have been involved (vol. 1, p. 525). The series was certainly published by Nicolas Langlois (1640–1703) in Paris in 1655, and a later, more ornate edition featuring decorative frames was published by Bernard Picart (1673–1733) in Amsterdam in 1733. Interestingly, Cornelis Bloemaert also produced an engraving of this print in the reverse direction for publication in 1676 (see https://archive.org/details/tableauxdutemple00maro/page/n367/mode/2up). Roethlisberger (1993) cautions that “there is no indication that Cornelis [Bloemaert] collaborated in the 1655 edition” (ibid.).

Etching and engraving on laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 33.3 x 23.4 cm; (plate) 27.9 x 18.2 cm; (image borderline) 23.2 x 17.9 cm.

Numbered and lettered on plate below the image borderline: “LÉANDRE TRAVERSE L'HÉLLESPONT À LA NAGE POUR ALLER TROUVER HÉRO. … nu son Corps se précipita de désespoir du haut de la Tour. Mart. Spect. Ep. 15. 25. 35.”

The British Museum offers the following description of this print from the Nicolas Langlois edition: “Mythological scene with Leander swimming in a stormy sea in right foreground, accompanied by Cupid, a tower with a lantern in right background, the Winds blowing in top left; after Abraham van Diepenbeeck; from an album containing sixty engravings trimmed and pasted on sheets; illustration on page 275 from Marolles' "Temple des Muses" [Paris, Nicolas Langlois: 1655]. c. 1635–1638/ Etching and engraving” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1983-1001-12-34).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression. Beyond a few minor dots in the margin, the sheet is in a very good condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains.

Price & Shipping: AU$236 (approx. US$153.32 / €131.78 / £114.50), including worldwide express shipping. Please note: Import duties are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in purchasing this visually engaging etching showing the naked young man from Greek mythology, Leander, swimming to his beloved, Hero, who guides him with a light held from a distant tower, 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

Cornelis Bloemaert, “A Reclining Hunter”, c.1625, after Abraham Bloemaert

Cornelis Bloemaert (1603–1692)

“A Reclining Hunter”, c.1625, plate 6 from a series of sixteen engravings, “The Praise of Sloth” (aka “The Leisure Series” [BM title]; “The Delight of Leisure”; “Otia Delectant”), published by Cornelis Bloemaert, after a drawing in the reverse direction by Cornelis’ father, Abraham Bloemaert (1564-1651) with two lines of Latin verse by Hendrik de Roij (1598–1678).

Engraving on fine laid paper with watermark (crowned arms with letters) with wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 18.9 x 26.8cm; (plate) 10.8 x 15.6cm; (image borderline) 9.8 x 15.1cm.

Lettered and numbered in plate below the image borderline: (centre) “Quisquis opus cœptum deduxit ad ultima felix,/ Otia securo ducere blanda licet” (Happy who completes work which he started, he is entitled to enjoy leisure safely).; (right) “6”.

Marvellous lifetime impression in a perfect condition.

Roethlisberger 302 (Marcel G. Roethlisberger 1993, “Abraham Bloemaert and His Sons: Paintings and Prints”, vol. 1, Davaco, Doornspuk, p. 233, cat. no. 302).

Roethlisberger (1993) offers the following insights about this print: “The figure in full light is surrounded by shaded motifs. The same dogs recur in the Venus and Adonis painting of 1632 (same direction). A somewhat different preliminary drawing in reverse is in private hand (ex Haboldt gallery, New York), the right leg of the huntsman pulled back.” (p. 233).

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1932-0213-294 (BM inv.no. 1932,0213.294).

Condition a strong and well-printed lifetime impression with wide margins in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or significant signs of handling.

I am selling this lifetime impression from c.1625 of a very beautiful engraving with wide margins in a near faultless (museum quality) condition for AU $388 in total (currently US$246.97/ EUR234.67/ GBP193.49 at the time of posting 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. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU $388) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in acquiring this curiously interesting image of a hunter wearing the garb of an outdoors man of the early 1600s resting with his dogs and a recently caught hare—note the artist’s insight to continue the hunter’s twisting movement of yawning into the spiralling form of the tree against which he rests—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

Cornelis Bloemaert, “Title Page: Shepherd Lying on a Boulder” & "Two Boys", 1620–25, after Abraham Bloemaert

Cornelis Bloemaert (1603–1692)

Two engravings, “Title Page: Shepherd Lying on a Boulder” & "Two Boys" (Roethlisberger titles), 1620–25, plates 1 & 3 from the series of sixteen plates, “Leisure Series: Genre Scenes”. Strong and well-printed impressions from a later edition printed in c.1790/1800 with text erased and numbered at upper right, after the designs by Cornelis’ father, Abraham Bloemaert (1564-1651).

Engravings on fine laid paper, trimmed with small margins around the platemarks.

Size: (Title page sheet) 12.7 x 16.9cm: (plate) 11 x 15.3cm; (image borderline) 9.9 x 14.8cm.

Numbered in plates respectively: (upper right) “1” and “3”.

Roethlisberger 297 & 299 (Marcel G. Roethlisberger 1993, “Abraham Bloemaert and His Sons: Paintings and Prints”, vol. 1, Davaco, Doornspuk, pp. 231–32, cat. nos. 297 & 299).

Condition strong and well-printed impressions in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or signs of handling.

I am selling this pair of very beautiful engravings for AU$400 in total for the pair (currently US$263.40/ EUR245.62/ GBP203.85 at the time of posting 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. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$400) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in acquiring this marvellous pair of engraving, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.