Hans Burgkmair the Elder, “The Party of the Green King Surprising and Attacking the Party of the White King at a River”, c. 1514–16

Hans Burgkmair the Elder (1473–1531)

“The Party of the Green King Surprising and Attacking the Party of the White King at a River”, circa 1514–16

Description:

This dramatic scene depicts a chaotic, close-quarters river ambush during the Habsburg-Hungarian Wars (1477–1491). The imperial forces of the “White King” (Maximilian I [1459–1519]) are shown defending their positions on the right bank, their flags emblazoned with Maximilian’s personal emblem, the Cross of Burgundy—a distinctive saw-toothed X-shaped cross. They are caught off-guard and attacked from across the river by the Hungarian troops of the “Green King,” King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary (reigned 1458–1490), whose forces advance from the left bearing standards adorned with traditional vertical crosses.

This woodcut vividly captures the tension of the ambush, emphasising the chaos and movement of the battlefield, underpinned by the diagonal view of the river separating the two armies.

Technical Details & Condition:

Woodcut on fine laid paper (blank on the verso), trimmed unevenly with the left side slightly within the image border, and professionally backed with a support sheet of archival-quality washi paper. This print is part of a series of 236 woodcut illustrations created for the autobiographical account of Emperor Maximilian I, “Der Weisskunig” (The White King). The series was produced between 1514 and 1516 but remained unpublished until rediscovered in 1775. They were first published as a book by Hoffstätter in Vienna, and later reissued in 1799 by S. Edward in London under the French title, “Tableaux des principaux événements de la vie et du règne de l'empereur Maximilien I.” (Metropolitan Museum Object Number: 1986.1180.52).

This impression is strong, crisp, and evenly printed, representing an early state with minimal signs of wear. Aside from a minor tear in the lower left edge, the sheet is in excellent condition, free from holes, folds, abrasions, or stains.

Dimensions:

• Sheet (trimmed unevenly): 22.2 x 18.4 cm

References:

• TIB 11.79 (Tilman Falk, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Sixteenth Century German Artists”, Vol. 11, 1980, New York, Abaris Books, cat. no. 80 [224] – 79)

Price & Shipping:

AU$288 (approximately US$200.26 / €174.93 / £150.16), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes (if any) are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you’re interested in acquiring this large and historically significant woodcut—an evocative depiction of a pivotal moment in European history—please contact me directly at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I will gladly provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless purchase. 

This print has been sold

Hans Springinklee, “A Delegation of Portugal before a King and a Prince”, c.1516

Hans Springinklee (1490/95–[after]1527)

“A Delegation of Portugal before a King and a Prince”, c.1515, plate 156 of 235 plates executed variously by Hans Burgkmair, Leonhard Beck and Leonhard Schäufelein, published in Vienna in “Der Weiß Kunig. Eine Erzehlung von den Thaten Kaiser Maximilian des Ersten.” (“The White/Wise King. A story about the deeds of Emperor Maximilian I”), in 1775 with the first proofs (without the plate number) printed between 1514 and 1516; see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1850-0511-955-1191.

Note that “The Illustrated Bartsch” (vol. 11, p. 158) reproduces two image variants of this print (cat. nos. 80.221 & 80.222] featuring different lower right sections with the crest held by the standing courtier. By design, the crest changes according to the context in which the print is employed. In the image shown here, the crest is that of Portugal (see the crest of Portugal at the upper left in “The Emperor Seated on His Throne …” (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/754961) and I suspect (but may be very wrong) that the context of this print concerns ambassadors from Portugal asking for the hand of Princess Eleanor. In TIB 11.80.221 the portrayed delegation is from Denmark and in TIB 11.80.222 the portrayed delegation is from Hungary.

Woodcut (composite of two plates) printed in a warm black ink on laid paper trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 24.9 x 24 cm; (image borderline) 24 x 21.5 cm.

Condition: a well-printed impression from clearly worn printing plate(s)—trimmed with a narrow margin and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins. The sheet is in an excellent condition for its considerable age with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or stains.

I am selling this interesting example of a large woodcut composed of two plates with the lower right plate designed to be interchanged with different variations to the composition—to my mind, this use of an interchangeable plate is the Renaissance equivalent of today’s digital manipulation—for AU$276 in total (currently/approximately US$186.34/ EUR167.41/ GBP141.07 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. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$276) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this Renaissance period woodcut precursor to Photoshop—in this impression the lower right features three kneeling/genuflecting ambassadors with a courtier holding the crest of Portugal while in other impressions the nationality of the visiting dignitaries to the royal court change—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Hans Burgkmair the Elder’s woodcut, “Standard Bearer”, c1517

Hans Burgkmair the Elder (1473–1531)

“Standard Bearer” (TIB title) (aka “Eberpach as Marshal of the Five Offices of Court”; “Standaarddrager”), c1517 (commissioned in 1512; executed between 1516 and 1519), a giant woodcut from the frieze of 139 plates extending to around 54 meters in length titled, “Triumphal Procession of Emperor Maximilian I”, cut by Jost de Negker's (aka Jost Dienecker) (c1485–1548) team of block-cutters (see https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O972923/triumph-of-the-emperor-maximilian-woodcut-maximilian-i-holy/). This impression may be from the 1777 edition of 192 plates published by Adam Bartsch (1757–1821).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “Standard carrier with standard and rectangular shield that offers space for a verse. The stand is decorated with laurel wreaths and curly ribbons. An empty text band is shown at the height of the rider's head. This man precedes the group of five seneschal in the series of the triumph of Emperor Maximilian I. They are referred to in the text of the verse, which is missing here” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.30899).

Woodcut printed in black on fine buff coloured laid paper, trimmed slightly into the image at top.

Size: (sheet) 38.2 X 26.7 cm.

TIB 11.15 (Tilman Falk [ed.] 1980, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Sixteenth Century German Artists”, vol. 11, New York, Abaris Books, p. 166, cat. no. 15).

The Victoria and Albert Museum offers the following very interesting information about the “Triumphal Procession of Emperor Maximilian I” plates: … “This was one of three large-scale mural projects which together reflected Emperor Maximilian I's (1459-1519) status as Holy Roman Emperor and linked him symbolically with ancient Rome. The project was not finished by the time of Maximilian's death but the set was published later, in 1526.

Hans Burgkmair designed much of the procession, begun in about 1512, with contributions from Albrecht Altdorfer, Hans Springinklee, Hans Beck and Hans Scheufelein. The designs were cut by Jost de Negker's large team of block-cutters.

The two other mural projects include a large Triumphal Arch, about 12 feet high by 10 feet wide and made up of 192 blocks, and a Triumphal Carriage about 8 feet long made up of 8 blocks. These were designed by Albrecht Dürer, with assistance from Hans Springinklee, Wolf Traut and Albrecht Altdorfer.

The procession was not intended for sale. The city of Nuremberg apologised to the Emperor for some impressions from the blocks having been sold. The friezes were intended as gifts for wall display. According to surviving correspondence, Maximilian wanted the procession to 'grace the walls of council chambers and great halls of the empire, proclaiming for posterity the noble aims of their erstwhile ruler'” (http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O972804).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression in an excellent condition for its considerable age, trimmed slightly within the image borderline with loss of the standard bearer’s upper finial. The upper and lower left corners are chipped and the verso of the sheet has pencil notations and shows traces of previous mounting in the sense that it must once has been glued to another sheet.

I am selling this extraordinarily large Renaissance period woodcut from from the famous series, “Triumphal Procession of Emperor Maximilian I”, for AU$430 (currently US$287.41/EUR260.05/GBP228.92 at the time of listing 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 exceptionally rare woodcut, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Hans Burgkmair the Elder’s woodcut, “Charity”, c1510

Hans Burgkmair the Elder (1473–1531)

“Charity” (aka “Die Liebe”; “Love”), c1510, from a series of seven woodcuts, “The Seven Virtues”. This is a later (Dershau) restrike impression, possibly c1808, printed from the original woodblock plate.

Woodblock print on buff Japon paper.

Size: 18.2 x 11 cm.

Lettered in plate: (upper right) “DIE^▲LIEBE^▲”

State iii (of iii)

Hollstein V.96.292 iii/iii; Bartsch VII.216.50.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Whole-length female figure holding a burning torch and a child, another child at her feet; from a series of seven woodcuts. c.1510 Woodcut, a modern Derschau impression” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1919-1216-140).

Regarding the Derschau impressions, they are restrike woodcut impressions printed from the original plates in the (Baron Hans Albrecht von) Derschau collection now held by the Staatlichen Kupferstich-kabinetts (State Print Room) in Berlin. The Metropolitan Museum of Art advises: “Derschau is said to have discovered hundreds of original wood blocks by German masters in a trunk in Nuremberg, and in 1808 Rudolph Zacharias Becker produced the first of three volumes with restrikes from these blocks” (see  https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/431122). This impression is possibly from an earlier edition as it does not have the later Derschau stamp verso: “SAMMLUNG/ DERSCHAU/ 1922”.

See also the description of this print offered by the Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/430793.

Condition: a richly inked and strongly embossed impression in pristine condition (i.e., there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling).

I am selling this superb latter impression of Burgkmair’s woodcut showing a female personification of love and charity holding a burning torch in her right hand, a child on her left arm and another child at her feet, for the total cost of AU$214 (currently US$153.13/EUR135.52/GBP113.39 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 simply stunning oldmaster woodcut, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Meister des Trostspiegels’ woodcut, “Conquest of a Castle,” c1532

Meister des Trostspiegels (aka Petrarch Master) (fl.c1520–1540)

Note: although the printmaker’s title, “Meister des Trostspiegels,” stems from the artist’s many (258) woodcut illustrations to Franceso Petrarca’s (1304–1374) “Trostspiegel” (1519/20), the true identity of the artist is possibly Hans Weiditz (c1500–1536). From a personal standpoint, however, earlier this evening I was convinced that the artist was Hans Burgkmair the Elder (1473–1531) and spent a great deal of time looking through the massive catalogue raisonné on Burgkmair (TIB vol. 11) to check. Sadly, I failed to find this print. Nevertheless, there are many woodcuts executed in a similar style by Burgkmair (see for instance, https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1837-0616-270), moreover, I understand that Burgkmair was a contributing illustrator working with the Meister des Trostspiegels in the early German editions.

“Conquest of a Castle,” c1532, from Franceso Petrarca’s “Vpn Hülff vnd Rath in Allem anligen,“ 1532.

Regarding the edition from which this impression was taken, I understand that a later edition was published in Frankfurt am Main by the heirs of the famous publisher, Christian Egenolff's (aka Egenolph) (1502–1555), in 1559 (see Willard Fiske’s 1882, “A Catalogue of Petrarch Books,” p. 23), titled: “Hülff, Trost vnd Rath in allem anligen der Menschen. Francisci Petrarche, des hochwei- sen, fürtreflichen Poeten vnd Oratorn, zwei Trost- biücher, Von Artznei vnd Rath beyde im guten vnd widerwertigen Glück” ([Google transl.] “Hülff, Trost vnd ​​Rath in all things human.  Francisci Petrarche, the wise, noble poet and orator, two consolation books, Von Artznei vnd Rath both in good and disgusting happiness”). Arguably, the quality of the impression, showing little or no sign of wear to the printing plate, and the form of the German letterpress text (verso) suggests the early/lifetime edition.

Woodcut on laid paper with letterpress German text verso, trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 14.5 x 16.1 cm; (image borderline) 14.4 x 15.6 cm.

Condition: a good but slightly grey impression. The sheet is in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing) and is laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this remarkable woodcut of a sixteenth century assault upon a citadel for the total cost of AU$197 (currently US$140.89/EUR119.81/GBP107.93 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 highly detailed old master woodcut, 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