Cornelis Bloemaert, “Leandre and Hero”, c. 1655, after Abraham van Diepenbeeck

Cornelis Bloemaert (1603–1692) in collaboration with Theodor Matham (aka Dirk Matham) (1605/06–1676) (background landscape)

“Leandre and Hero” (aka “Leander Swims across the Hells Bridge to find Hero”; “Léandre Traverse l'Héllespont à la Nage pour Aller Trouver Héro”) c. 1655, after the design by Abraham van Diepenbeeck (aka Abraham van Diepenbeek; Abraham van Diepenbeke) (1596–1675), plate 35 in the series of 58 illustrations to Michel de Marolles’ (1600–1681) “Tableaux du Temple des Muses” (aka “Tableaux du temple des muses tirez du cabinet de feu Mr Favereau, et gravez en tailles-douces par les meilleurs maistres de son temps pour représenter les vertus et les vices, sur les plus illustres fables de l'antiquité, avec les descriptions, remarques et annotations”). This impression is possibly from a later edition.

Marcel Roethlisberger (1993), in “Abraham Bloemaert and His Sons,” notes that the publication of this series was a “complex publishing venture,” and that Pierre Mariette II (1634–1716) may have been involved (vol. 1, p. 525). The series was certainly published by Nicolas Langlois (1640–1703) in Paris in 1655, and a later, more ornate edition featuring decorative frames was published by Bernard Picart (1673–1733) in Amsterdam in 1733. Interestingly, Cornelis Bloemaert also produced an engraving of this print in the reverse direction for publication in 1676 (see https://archive.org/details/tableauxdutemple00maro/page/n367/mode/2up). Roethlisberger (1993) cautions that “there is no indication that Cornelis [Bloemaert] collaborated in the 1655 edition” (ibid.).

Etching and engraving on laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 33.3 x 23.4 cm; (plate) 27.9 x 18.2 cm; (image borderline) 23.2 x 17.9 cm.

Numbered and lettered on plate below the image borderline: “LÉANDRE TRAVERSE L'HÉLLESPONT À LA NAGE POUR ALLER TROUVER HÉRO. … nu son Corps se précipita de désespoir du haut de la Tour. Mart. Spect. Ep. 15. 25. 35.”

The British Museum offers the following description of this print from the Nicolas Langlois edition: “Mythological scene with Leander swimming in a stormy sea in right foreground, accompanied by Cupid, a tower with a lantern in right background, the Winds blowing in top left; after Abraham van Diepenbeeck; from an album containing sixty engravings trimmed and pasted on sheets; illustration on page 275 from Marolles' "Temple des Muses" [Paris, Nicolas Langlois: 1655]. c. 1635–1638/ Etching and engraving” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1983-1001-12-34).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression. Beyond a few minor dots in the margin, the sheet is in a very good condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains.

Price & Shipping: AU$236 (approx. US$153.32 / €131.78 / £114.50), including worldwide express shipping. Please note: Import duties are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in purchasing this visually engaging etching showing the naked young man from Greek mythology, Leander, swimming to his beloved, Hero, who guides him with a light held from a distant tower, 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

Stefano della Bella’s etching, “Pole in Court Dress Leaning on a War Hammer”, c1645

Stefano della Bella (1610–1664)

“Pole in Court Dress Leaning on a War Hammer” (aka “Polish man seen from behind, other man in background” [Rijksmuseum title]), c1645, plate 19 from the series of 24 plates (including the title plate), “Diversi Capricci”, published in Paris by Nicolas I Langlois (1640–1703).

Etching on fine laid paper with a small margin on the top and sides and a larger margin below, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 14.3 x 12 cm; (plate) 8.1 x 10 cm.

Inscribed in plate along the lower edge: (left): “19 Stef della Bella fecit”; (centre) “Cum priuil.”; (right) “N Langlois ex”.

State ii (of iii), lifetime impression before the change of publisher to Pierre Mariette I in state iii (see BM inv. no. X,5.182), or state iii (of iv) as catalogued by De Vesme/Massar (p. 44 [illust.]).

 De Vesme/Massar 146 (Alexandre de Vesme & Phyllis D. Massar, 1971, “Stefano della Bella. Catalogue Raisonné”, New York, Collectors Editions, [text] p. 72, cat. no. 146, [illust.] p. 44, cat. no. 146); Jombert (Della Bella)  139-19 (Charles Antoine Jombert 1772, “Essai d'un catalogue de l'oeuvre d'Etienne de la Belle, peintre et graveur florentin”, Paris, p. 141, cat. no. 139-19).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Plate 19; a Pole in court dress, standing in centre turned towards left leaning on a war hammer, with another Pole behind to right. c.1647 Etching” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_X-5-182). See also the description offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.76687.

Condition: a well-printed impression  with a small margin around the platemark on the top and sides and a generous margin below, laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There is a collector’s stamp verso.

I am selling this sensitively executed lifetime impression that may be small in physical size but is very grand in its projection of scale in the sense of wide open space—no doubt resulting at least in part from the “David and Goliath” difference of size between the two figures portrayed—for AU$233 (currently US$171.71/EUR145.83/GBP124.89 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 superb etching by one of the most famous of the old master printmakers, 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 

Cornelis Bloemaert & Theodor Matham’s etching, “Tantale”, 1655, and Bernard Picart’s etching, “Tantalus’ Torment”, 1730

Cornelis Bloemaert (1603–1692) in collaboration with

Theodor Matham (aka Dirk Matham) (1605/06–1676) (background landscape)

Note: Based on the description offered by Archive.org, I understand that Cornelis Bloemaert also engraved the same design in reverse in another plate (c1676); see https://archive.org/details/tableauxdutemple00maro/page/n557/mode/2up.

“Tantale” (as titled on plate), c1655, after the design by Abraham van Diepenbeeck (aka Abraham van Diepenbeek; Abraham van Diepenbeke) (1596–1675), plate 54 in the series of 58 illustrations to Michel de Marolles’ (1600–1681) “Tableaux du Temple des Muses” (aka “Tableaux du temple des muses tirez du cabinet de feu Mr Favereau, et gravez en tailles-douces par les meilleurs maistres de son temps pour représenter les vertus et les vices, sur les plus illustres fables de l'antiquité, avec les descriptions, remarques et annotations”), published by Nicolas Langlois in Paris in 1655. This impression may be from a later date as it is inscribed on the plate with the number, “57”.

Etching and engraving on laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 32.5 x 22.7 cm; (plate) 27.4 x 18 cm; (image borderline) 23.3 x 17.6 cm.

Numbered and lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “Tantale”; (centre) [two lines of Greek from Homer's Odyssey] HOMER. Odyss. XI.”; (right) “54”.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Mythological scene with Tantalus in a river trying to reach for some fruits on a tree at left, Hell in left background; after Abraham van Diepenbeeck; illustration on page 427 from Marolles' "Temple des Muses" (Paris, Nicolas Langlois: 1655). c.1635-1638”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1973-0616-52).

Note: the BM references this print in Marcel Roethlisberger’s “Abraham Bloemaert and His Sons” (1993) with cat. no. “CB11”, but this reference is incorrect as CB11 is the cat. no. for “The Slaying of the Niobids” (see vol. 1, p. 524).

Condition: strong impression but with a printer’s crease on the right. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, losses, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this pair of etchings based on the same design, but executed by different artists with a gap of around 75 years separating them, for AU$334 in total for the pair (currently US$255.55/EUR208.40/GBP188.81 at the time of posting 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 amazing pair of superb quality etchings, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This pair of prints has been sold

Bernard Picart (1673–1733)

“Tantalus’ Torment” (aka “Tantalus in Hades”), 1730, after the engraving by Cornelis Bloemaert and Theodor Matham after the design by Abraham van Diepenbeeck, first published in Amsterdam by Zacharias Chatelain (fl.1705–1749) in 1733 in “Le temple des muses: orné de LX tableaux où sont représentés les evenemens les plus remarquables de l'antiquité fabuleuse” (The temple of the muses: decorated with 60 illustrations representing the most remarkable events of fabulous antiquity), plate inset between pages 142 and 143 (see https://archive.org/details/gri_33125012263162/page/n265/mode/2up).

Etching and engraving in two plates (an outer frame plate and an inner image plate) on laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 46.4 x 28.6 cm; (outer plate) 35.5 x 25.7 cm; (image borderline) 34.2 x 24.4 cm.

Lettered on plate below the image: “B. Picart dir. / TANTALE CONDAMNÉ À SOUFFRIR LA FAIM & LA SOIF, │Des Tantalus Bunderbahre bestrafung / MALGRÉ LES FRUITS & LES EAUX QUI L’ENVIRONNENT. │Tantalus midden onder Vrugten en Wateren, / Tantalus’s torment. │tot honger en dorst verweesen.”

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Tantalus in Hades, standing in shoulder-deep water, tries to pick up some fruits from a tree; in ornate frame, with winds on each side, and peacock in the lower part, printed from a separate plate; plate LVI to 'Le Temple des Muses' (first published Amsterdam: Chatelain, 1733). c.1730/33”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1914-0214-214).

Condition: strong, near faultless impression in near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, significant stains, foxing or signs of handling.