Matthias Kager & Raphael Custos’ etching, “Frieze with Satyrs and Grotesque Creatures Surrounded by Scrollwork”, c.1610

Matthias Kager (aka Johann Matthias Kager) (1575–1634) and

Raphael Custos (aka Raphael Custodis) (c1590–1664).

(Note that the initials of both artists are inscribed on the plate as the etchers.)

“Frieze with Satyrs and Grotesque Creatures Surrounded by Scrollwork”, c.1610, published in Augsburg in “Neuw GrottesskenBuch” (New Book of Grotesques) in 1610 in three parts with this print featuring in the third issue, “Der Tadesckisch Radesco Baum ...”.

“Neuw GrottesskenBuch” is available for online viewing or may be downloaded free-of-charge from archive.org (see p. 174 featuring this print):

https://archive.org/details/gri_33125008528032/page/n173/mode/2up.

Etching on fine laid paper trimmed with a small margin around the platemark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 7.9 x 26.6 cm; (plate) 7 x 26 cm; (image borderline) 6.7 x 25.9 cm.

Inscribed on plate on the lower-centre volute: “MK. RC. F.”

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed early impression with a small margin around the platemark. The sheet has a restored tear at left-of-centre otherwise it is in an excellent/museum quality-condition and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this superb ornamental frieze from the early 1600s featuring a cross-legged figure cradling an umbrella while seated on cart drawn by two satyrs and a bird, for AU$188 (currently US$120.88/EUR110.82/GBP102.44 at the time of 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 Baroque period etching, 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

Matthias Kager's etching, “Satyr with Woman in Hammock”, c1610

Matthias Kager (aka Johann Matthias Kager) (1575–1634)

“Satyr with Woman in Hammock” (Rijksmuseum title), c1610/1611, from the series of sixteen (?) plates, “Frisians with grotesque figures in stylized tendrils” (Rijksmuseum title), published by Raphael Custos (aka Raphael Custodis) (c1590–1664) in Augsburg.

Etching on fine laid paper trimmed with small margins around the platemark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 7.8 x 24.3 cm; (plate) 6.9 x 23.2 cm; (image borderline) 6.6 x 23 cm.

Inscribed on plate on the hem of the tablecloth at lower left: “MK. F[?]”.

Orn Cat II 498 (Peter Fuhring 2004, “Ornament Prints in the Rijksmuseum II: the Seventeenth Century”, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum Sound and Vision, Part 1, p. 118, cat.no. 498).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(transl.) “On the left is a table with food and in the middle is a satyr with a shield above his head holding a hagmat [hangmat?]. It says on the tablecloth: MK. F. Sheet from series of 16 (?) sheets.”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.416002)

Condition: a superb, richly inked near faultless early impression, trimmed with small margins around the platemark. The sheet has a small dot stain on the hammock otherwise it is in museum quality condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing) and has been laid on a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this superb ornamental frieze from the early 1600s, for AU$188 (currently US$130.21/EUR116.16/GBP102.44 at the time of 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 Renaissance period engraving, 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

Raphael Custos' engraving, “Ornament panel with satyr, offering bowl and running maiden”, c1610, after Matthias Kager

Raphael Custos (aka Raphael Custodis) (c1590–1664)

“Ornament panel with satyr, offering bowl and running maiden” (descriptive title only), c1610/1611, from the series of sixteen (?) plates, “Frisians with grotesque figures in stylized tendrils” (Rijksmuseum title) after Matthias Kager (aka Johann Matthias Kager) (1575–1634), published by Raphael Custos in Augsburg.

Etching with engraving on fine laid paper trimmed with small margins around the platemark (viz. a 4 mm margin at top, left and lower edge and replenished on right edge) and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet with replenished right edge) 7.9 x 26.7 cm;

Inscribed on plate on spiral at lower left: “MK. Inve. RC F. [“ex” (?)]“.

Condition: a superb, richly inked early impression, trimmed with small margins around the platemark except on the right side of the sheet which has a replenished margin. There is a restored area at the lower centre of the image and the sheet has been laid on a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this eye-catching ornamental frieze from the early 1600s, for AU$188 (currently US$130.21/EUR116.16/GBP102.44 at the time of 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 Renaissance period engraving, 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

François Collignon’s engraving, “The Queen of Sheba before Solomon”, 1631

François Collignon (aka Louis François Collignon) (c.1610–87)

“The Queen of Sheba before Solomon”, 1631, after a wall painting, now destroyed, on the wall of the prison behind the Town Hall of Augsburg by Johann Matthias Kager (1575–1634)

Engraving on fine laid paper trimmed unevenly along the platemark and lined onto a conservator’s support sheet.

Size: (sheet trimmed unevenly) 10 x 33.5 cm

Inscribed below the image borderline: (left) “Inuenit. Malthaus Kager / Senatorij Ordinis”; (translated at centre) “For wisdom is better than all the most precious things, and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it. Proverb 8:11”; (right) “Francisco Collignon Nanceianus, quj et sculpsit Augustra A. 1631.”

T.B.VII.227 and XIX.432

The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers a description of this print (without image); see: http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/365711

This print is also discussed in “The Metropolitan Museum Journal”, vol. 6, 1972, pp. 82–3, regarding the exchanges of riddles between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon. The complete journal is available online at: https://issuu.com/alf219/docs/the_metropolitan_museum_journal_v.0_d0f47330dfda6e

Condition: excellent impression in superb (almost pristine) condition. The sheet is trimmed unevenly along the platemark and is laid upon a conservator’s support sheet of fine washi paper.

I am selling this rare and visually arresting engraving from the early 17th century for the total cost of AU$176 (currently US$130.84/EUR116/GBP101.48 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this remarkable image of a painting that once graced a prison wall in Augsburg, 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

Sometimes when I research the background to a print I sit back in wonderment when everything fits neatly into some form of logical order and I think to myself “my ducks are all in a row!” Well … when I was looking into the career background for the artist who executed this unusually long print I had one of these eureka moments of “aha!” At this point, however, I should backtrack to the reason that I originally acquired this print to help explain my moment of satisfaction.

When I first saw this engraving I was curious about why an artist would choose such a long format and fill it literally to the brim with tiny figures. Beyond my interest being piqued by its unusual shape and the number of figures portrayed, my real motivation to own it was all about the almost microscopically fine treatment of the figures. To my eyes this was/is a remarkable print! I loved the fact that an artist would have such discipline—and skill—to make such a creation.

Now to the “moment of aha” and the reason all my ducks are now in order: the format shape of the print with its panoramic scope of what a viewer can look at and the fineness of the drawing make sense to me because I read that the artist, François Collignon, was taught by Jacques Callot (1592–1635)—a true master who is famous for his long panoramic views and fine handling of line.

Not only did Collignon study under Callot for four years as an apprentice, but Collignon also worked with Israel Henriet in handling Callot’s estate when the great master died. Although I am not privy to whether or not Collignon was influenced by Callot, to my eyes the stylistic cannibalism is very evident. For instance, note in the rendering of light and shade on the columns how Collignon endeavoured to swell his line—a hallmark of Callot’s style. Note also the differences in the depth of the lines from deep and dark strokes in the foreground to much shallower and paler strokes in the distance. Again, a hallmark of Callot’s style.