Monogrammist CB’s woodcut, “Portrait of Justinus Göbler”, 1500

Monogrammist CB (possibly Claude Bezoard) (fl.1550 –)

“Portrait of Justinus Göbler”—a German poet, lawyer and author of legal texts, 1550, printed by Christian Egenolph (aka Christian Egenolff) (1502–1555) and published in Frankfurt am Main in 1552 in Justinus Göbler’s “Der Rechten Spiegel, Auß den beschribenen Geystlichem, Weltlichen, Natürlichem, vnd andern gebreuchlichen Rechten …”, as a portrait of the author facing the introduction to the publication (see https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=PzpeAAAAcAAJ to view this publication online).

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

Size: (sheet) 21.6 x 14.3 cm.

Inscribed in plate with the artist’s monogram and date, “1550”, at upper-right corner.

Nagler Monogrammisten I, 2284 (G.K. Nagler 1858–1879, “Die Monogrammisten, und diejenigen bekannten und unbekannten Künstler aller Schulen, welche sich zur Bezeichnung ihrer Werke eines figürlichen Zeichens...”, Munich, vol. 1, p. 956, cat. no. 2284).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Portrait of Justin Gobler; half-length, in three-quarter profile to right, his hands resting on parapet, holding a scroll in his left hand; wearing rings, patterned cloak, doublet and portrait medallion suspended from a chain around his neck; illustration to Gobler's 'Der Rechten Spiegel' (Frankfurt: Egenolff, 1552). 1550 Woodcut” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1863-0725-669).

See also the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.80498.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression trimmed around the image borderline and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins. Beyond a restored chip to the lower margin, the sheet is in very good condition with no significant stains.

I am selling this marvellous woodcut portrait, for AU$284 (currently US$187.25/EUR172.38/GBP147.60 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 beautifully executed and historically important portrait from the early 1500s, 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

Hans Weiditz II’s woodcut, “Torture and Execution”, c1520

Hans Weiditz II (aka The Petrarch Master; Petrarcameister; Meister des Trostspiegels) (c1500–c1536)

“Torture and Execution” (aka “Von Scraff der Vbelchaten” [letterpress text above the image]), c1520, woodcut published in Frankfurt in 1550 by Christian Egenolph (1502–1555) as an illustration to page 176 (CLXXVI) of Justin Gobler’s (1503/4–1567) “Der Rechten Spiegel Auß den beschribenen Geystlichem, Weltlichen, Natürlichem, vnd andern gebreuchlichen Rechten...“ (read this book online at https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=PzpeAAAAcAAJ&rdid=book-PzpeAAAAcAAJ&rdot=1).

Woodcut with letterpress text (recto and verso) on a full sheet of laid paper as published.

Size: (sheet) 30 x 19 cm; (image borderline) 14.4 x 15.4 cm.

Letterpress text printed above the image borderline: (centre) “Von Scraff der Vbelchaen”.

Dodgson 78

Condition: a strong and well-printed early impression showing minimal wear to the printing plate. The sheet is in a near pristine condition for its considerable age with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this historically significant woodcut from the Renaissance showing what I assume to be a judicial panel and the accused in the foreground with various methods of torture and execution in the distance—viz. (from upper left to upper right) “broken by the wheel”; hanging by the neck; impaled with a stake; decapitation; “burning at the stake” —for AU$264 (currently US$176.46/EUR159.66/GBP140.54 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 rare and important 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

Hans Burgkmair the Elder’s woodcut, “From an Embarrassing Question”, c1520

Hans Burgkmair the Elder (1473–1531)

“From an Embarrassing Question” (“Von Peinlicher frage” [letterpress text above the image]), c1520, woodcut published in Frankfurt in 1550 by Christian Egenolph (1502–1555) as an illustration to page 169 (CLXIX) of Justin Gobler’s (1503/4–1567) “Der Rechten Spiegel Auß den beschribenen Geystlichem, Weltlichen, Natürlichem, vnd andern gebreuchlichen Rechten...“ (read this book online at https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=PzpeAAAAcAAJ&rdid=book-PzpeAAAAcAAJ&rdot=1).

For those with sensitive spirits, the paragraph below is explanatory information of the portrayed subject and may not be necessary to read.

From what I understand, the scene is set in the torture chamber of Slovakia’s Spis Castle (Spišský hrad) (see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spisska_Hrad_048.jpg). The portrayed subject on the left, shows the Sicilian tyrant of Akragas (Agrigent), Phalaris (c570–555 BC) roasting the designer of the Bronze Bull, the sculptor Perillos, as a way of seeing this hideous torture device in use for the first time—note that a part of the design principle to this device is that the bronze bull would cast a bellowing sound as steam escapes its nostrils… dreadful! In the foreground may be seen a victim on the torture device known as “the rack” and adding more horror to the victim plight as his limbs are slowly dislocated, he is force-fed water—a torture known as “waterboarding”. In the background at left, a torture victim is raised with his hands secured behind his back and dropped to dislocate his shoulders—a torture known as the “strappado”.

Woodcut with letterpress text on laid paper trimmed with a small margin around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 16.8 x 17.5 cm; (image borderline) 14.6 x 15.6 cm.

Letterpress text printed above the image borderline: (centre) “Von Peinlicher frage”.

Condition: a strong and well-printed early impression showing little or no sign of wear to the printing plate. There is a restored nick in the upper edge of the sheet, otherwise, it is in an excellent condition and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper.

I am selling this historically significant woodcut from the Renaissance showing various torture devices of the time, for AU$264 (currently US$176.46/EUR159.66/GBP140.54 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 rare and important (but grim in what is portrayed) 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