Adriaen Collaert, “Saint Christina of Bolsena”, circa 1600

Adriaen Collaert (circa 1560–1618)

“Saint Christina of Bolsena” (also known as “Heilige Christina” [Saint Christina]), circa 1590–1610

Technical Details & Condition:

Engraving on fine laid paper, trimmed close to the image borderline on the left and upper edges; full margins preserved on the right and lower edges. The impression is strong, crisp, and evenly printed. The sheet has been professionally stabilised and backed with a support sheet of archival-quality washi paper.

This engraving is from a series of twenty-four plates depicting female martyr saints “Martyrologium Sanctorum Virginum”, published by Adriaen Collaert in Antwerp.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 21.6 x 16.2 cm
• Outer image borderline: 19.5 x 15 cm

In-Plate Lettering:

• Lower left: “Adrian. Collaert excud.”
• Upper centre: “S. CHRISTINA.”
• Lower centre: “Vade age, ne dubita: Serpentum Sibila sperne, / Hæc nihil in sancta virgine iuris habent.”

(Translation: “Go, come, do not doubt: despise the hissing of the serpents; these have no power over the holy virgin”)

References:

• New Hollstein Dutch 804 (Ann Diels and Marjolein Leesberg [comp.], “The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings, and Woodcuts 1450–1700: The Collaert Dynasty”, vol. 4, 2005–06, Ouderkerk aan den Ijssel, Sound and Vision, p. 47, cat. no. 804)
• Hollstein Dutch 260–283 (F. W. H. Hollstein, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings, and Woodcuts 1450–1700: BRUN–COQUES”, 1949, vol. 4, Amsterdam, Menno Hertzberger, p. 203, cat. nos. 260–283 [FEMALE SAINTS / Martyrologium sanctorum virginum])
• Rijksmuseum: Object Number RP-P-2014-66-13 — https://id.rijksmuseum.nl/200598195

Price & Shipping:

AU$304 (Approximately US$214.07 / €185.38 / £158.99 — subject to daily currency fluctuations), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you’re interested in acquiring this sensitively executed engraving of Saint Christina—complete with her traditional attributes and framed within an exquisite border of flowers and birds—please contact me directly at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I will gladly provide a secure PayPal invoice for a smooth, fully protected transaction.

(Attrib.) Gregor Fentzel, “Midday”, c. 1650, after Adriaen Collaert and Maarten de Vos

(Attributed to) Gregor Fentzel (also known as Gregorius Fentzel) (active 1640–1660)

“Afternoon” (also known as “Middag”), circa 1650

Technical Details & Condition:

Engraving on fine laid paper with wide margins, fully backed with a support sheet of archival-quality washi paper. This is the second plate from the celebrated four-part series “The Four Times of the Day”, published in Nuremberg by Paulus Fürst (active 1608–1666). It is engraved in the same direction after Adriaen Collaert’s original print (circa 1587–1588). As with Collaert’s original engraving, the composition is based on the related preparatory drawing by Maarten de Vos (aka Maarten de Vos; Maerten de Vos) (1532–1603) preserved in the École des Beaux-Arts, Paris.

This is a strong and well-printed impression. The sheet has been expertly stabilised on its backing sheet. There is professional restoration work to an old tear along the vertical centre-fold line, as well as to abrasions in the German text below the image. Light, even age-staining is visible throughout the margins, and a previous collector’s notations on the verso show through slightly in the lower-left margin.

Iconographic Descriptions

• The British Museum describes the composition: “Sol flying in the clouds above a midday landscape with a grand house and formal garden with fountain and peacock and scenes of harvesting and youthful figures resting under the shade of a tree” (BM 1901,0611.79).
• The Rijksmuseum inventories the scene as: “Afternoon. Allegory with Apollo in the clouds as Meridies, the personification of the afternoon. Below on earth, activities related to the life stage of youth or young adulthood: working the land and lovers in a garden. Part of the series of the four times of the day” (Rijksmuseum RP-P-OB-5121).

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 25.2 x 33.5 cm
• Plate: 21.8 x 27.1 cm
• Image borderline: 19 x 26.3 cm

In-Plate Lettering:

• Below the image in two columns of two lines: “Den Mittag laße dir des Tages Arbeit theilen, / mach mit ihr Stillestand. Was nit ruht unterweilen, // [Es da]uret selten lang. Der Tag es ſelbſt bekennt: / [Es iſt dur]ſchattet ex, ie heiſſer daß es brennt.”

English Translation:

“Let midday divide the day's work for you; make with it a standstill. What does not rest once in a while, rarely lasts long. The day itself confesses: It is cast in shadow, the hotter it burns.”

References:

• Hollstein Dutch 1455 (copy e)
• New Hollstein Dutch 1364

Price & Shipping:

AU$322 (approximately US$226.35 / €195.63 / £168.91), inclusive of worldwide express shipping. Please note that import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in acquiring this rare 17th-century engraving exemplifying the mastery of the Netherlandish school, please contact me directly at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. A secure, itemised PayPal invoice will be generated to complete your purchase smoothly.

This print has been sold

(Attrib.) Adriaen Collaert, “The Emperor Commodus Killing a Leopard”, c. 1596, after Jan van der Straet

(Attrib.) Adriaen Collaert (circa 1560–1618)

“The Emperor Commodus Killing a Leopard” (aka “Keizer Commodus doodt een luipaard met een pijl” [Emperor Commodus kills a leopard with an arrow]), circa 1596

Technical Details & Condition:

Engraving on fine laid paper. This print is plate 14 from the series of 104 engravings titled “Hunting Parties” (also known as “Venationes Ferarum, Bird, and Fish”). The design is after Jan van der Straet (also known as Joannes Stradanus and Ioannes Stradanus) (1523–1605), and the engraving was published in Antwerp by Philips Galle (1537–1612).

This impression is from the second state (of three), prior to being reworked and published by Philips Galle’s grandson, Joannes Galle (also known as Ioan Galle and Jan Galle) (1600–1676), who modified the figures in the background. A third state impression of this print, which I previously listed, can be viewed at: https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2021/07/attrib-adriaen-collaerts-engraving.html.

The impression is strong and well-printed—nearly faultless. The sheet is in near-pristine condition for its age, free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, or signs of handling.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 22.3 x 30.6 cm
• Platemark: 20.3 x 27 cm
• Image borderline: 18.3 x 26.6 cm

In-Plate Lettering:

• Within the image borderline on lower edge: (left of centre) “Ioan. Stradanus inuent.”; (right of centre) “Phls Galle excud.”
• Below the image borderline: (left) “14”; (two lines of two columns at centre) “Pensilis è cauea Tigris rabiosa theatre / Erumpit vinclis, hominiq[ue] occurrit inermi, // Quem ne dilaceret fera bellua, Commodus arcu / Impedit, atq[ue] feræ iacit in præcordia telum.”

References:

• New Hollstein 513.II (Marjolein Leesberg [comp.], “The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: Johannes Stradanus”, vol. 3, Amsterdam, Sound & Vision, p.193, cat. no. 513)
• British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1856-0712-440
• Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.97378
• Archive.org offers an online view of the publication, “Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium”, in which this engraving appears: https://archive.org/details/printboeck00stra/page/n89/mode/2up

Price & Shipping:

AU$307 (approximately US$216.48 / €185.15 / £161.30), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in acquiring this fascinating glimpse into Roman life during the reign of Emperor Commodus—an era marked by his megalomania, statues portraying him as Hercules, and the renaming of Rome to “Colonia Commodiana”—please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I will be happy to provide a PayPal invoice to facilitate a smooth and secure purchase.

This print has been sold