Hubert von Herkomer’s etching with drypoint, “The Babes in the Wood”, 1880

Hubert von Herkomer (aka Sir Hubert von Herkomer) (1849–1914)

“The Babes in the Wood”, 1880, published in Vienna by Gesellschaft für vervielfältigende Kunst (Society for Reproducing Art) (fl.1871–1933) in “Die Vervielfältigende Kunst der Gegenwart” (The multiplying art of the present), issue XXXIII (1893).

The Curator of the British Museum offers the following insights about this print: “The print appeared in 'The Art Journal' in January 1881, opposite p.26 and was lettered 'Drawn and etched by Hubert Herkomer'. The print received this commentary; 'The artist's children, playing at a game which is better known in Germany than here, pursue their way through a forest (represented by the old familiar wooden tree on the table) infested with lions, dragons, and other beasts of prey. The affected terror on their faces is delightfully rendered' ('Our illustrations', 'The Art Journal', January 1881, p.28)” (BM inv. no. 1881,0312.124).

Etching and drypoint printed in brown ink on cream chine collé on heavy wove paper.

Size: (sheet) 38.8 x 29.5 cm; (plate) 32.3 x 24.9 cm; (chine collé) 31 x 23.8 cm; (image borderline) 26.3 x 19.9 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (lower centre) “H H 80”.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (centre) “ORIGINAL RADIRUNG VON HUBERT HERKOMER./ THE BABES IN THE WOOD./ Druck der Gesellschaft f. vervielf. Kunst in Wien.”

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Babes in the Wood; two young children, looking upwards to left, frightened, the girl clasping her hands together, the boy with his arms around her neck, protectively, a small dragon hanging on a string by their heads to left and a statuette of a lion and a baton on a table in front to right” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1881-0312-124).

Condition: a richly inked, well-printed (near faultless) impression in near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this visually arresting etching showing the artist’s two children (Elsa Herkomer [1877–1938] and Siegfried Herkomer [1874–1939]) re-enacting the tradition story of two children abandoned in an enchanted forest, “The Babies in the Wood”, first published in 1595 by Thomas Millington (fl.1591–1603), for AU$198 in total (currently US$137.74/EUR130.31/GBP111.66 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 graphically strong and superbly executed etching (with drypoint), I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Józa Úprka’s etching, “Pfingstreiter”, 1903

Józa Úprka (1861–1940)—The British Museum offers biographical details regarding this artist; see: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG52120

“Pfingstreiter”—in translation, the “Whitsun Rider”, or King’s Rider, in the Moravian Slovakia (south-eastern Czech Republic) folk tradition (see https://www.gonomad.com/142751-moravias-ride-of-the-kings), 1903, printed by the K. K. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei (K. K. Hof and State Printing Shop) (fl. 1847–1916) and published in Vienna by the Gesellschaft für Vervielfältigende Kunst (Society for Reproducing Arts) (fl. 1871–1934) (see the interesting information about this publisher offered by Art of the Print: http://www.artoftheprint.com/artistpages/uprka_joza_phingstreiter.htm).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Participant in Moravian festival, on horseback holding banner. 1903 Etching, with surface tone” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1985-1109-119).

Etching with plate tone printed in brown ink on cream wove paper with full margins (as published) and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 39.3 x 28.6 cm; (plate) 15.4 x 20.4 cm; (image borderline) 14.3 x 19.2 cm.

Lettered along the lower edge of the sheet: (left) “JÓZA UPRKA, »PFINGSTREITER«. ORIGINALRADIERUNG.”; (centre) “DRUCK DER K. K. HOF- UND STAATSDRUCKEREI, WIEN.”; (left) “VERLAG DER GESELLSCHAFT FÜR VERVIELFÄLTIGENDE KUNST, WIEN.”

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression with generously wide margins (as published) laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There are several fractures to the edges of the sheet (now supported), otherwise the sheet is in an excellent condition with no significant tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing.

I am selling this rarely seen etching on the art market for AU$256 in total (currently US$185.92/EUR165.63/GBP138.54 at the time of posting 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 marvellous etching capturing a fleeting moment in the charge of a King’s Rider in a folklore event—note the way the artist’s has suggested the speed of the horse’s advance by adding a touch of ambiguity to the rendering of its hooves and how the spicks and specks of foul-biting in the background adds to the effect of a frozen moment—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.