Jost Amman’s woodcut, “Conversion of St Paul (Acts 9)”, 1564

Jost Amman (aka Jost Ammon) (1539–1591)

“Conversion of St Paul (Acts 9)”, (TIB title), 1564, woodcut illustration to “Neuwe biblische Figuren dess Alten und Neuwen Testaments / geordnet und gestellt durch [...] Johan Bockspergern von Salztburg, den jüngern”, published and printed by Sigmund Feierabend (1528–1590), Georg Rab (fl.1557–1580) and Weygand Han (fl.c.1550–1564) in Frankfurt am Main in 1564 (see https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b105511026/f118.item). This plate was also used in “Biblia” (aka “The Complete Holy Bible in German [translated by] Martin Luther”) published in Frankfurt am Main in 1565 (see full title and publication details in TIB, vol. 20, part 1, p. 244]).

Woodcut on early laid paper with a narrow margin and German letterpress text verso.

Size: (sheet) 11.7 x 16.2 cm; (image borderline) 10.9 x 15.5 cm.

Lifetime impression (based on the quality of the line showing minimal signs of wear to the printing plate).

TIB 20 (9).1.110 (365) (Jane S Peters [ed.] 1985, “The Illustrated Bartsch: German Masters of the Sixteenth Century: Jost Amman: Intaglio Prints and Woodcuts”, vol. 20 [Part 1], New York, Abaris Books, p. 306, cat. no. 1.110 [365]).

Condition: a strong/near faultless impression with German letterpress text verso (as published) that not visible recto through the paper. The sheet has been trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline and has age-toning appropriate to its considerable age, otherwise, the sheet is in excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this superb woodcut from 1564 by one of the most famous of the German old master printmakers, for AU$288 (currently US$211.17/EUR184.50/GBP157.33 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 finely executed old-master woodcut showing Jesus in the clouds/heaven admonishing and giving advice to St Paul (aka Saul of Tarsus) who has fallen from his horse after being blinded by a flash of light (see https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%209&version=NIV), 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 

Jost Amman’s woodcut, “The Apocalyptic Woman and the Seven-Headed Dragon”, c1564

Jost Amman (aka Jost Ammon) (1539–1591)

“The Apocalyptic Woman and the Seven-Headed Dragon” (TIB title), c1564, woodcut illustration after the design by Johann Melchior Bocksberger (1525/35–1587) to “Neue Biblische Figuren des Alten und Neuen Testaments”, published and printed by Sigmund Feierabend (1528–1590), Georg Rab (fl.1557–1580) and Weygand Han (fl.c.1550–1564) in Frankfurt am Main in 1564 (see https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b105511026/f138.item). This plate was also used in “Biblia” (aka “The Complete Holy Bible in German [translated by] Martin Luther”) published in Frankfurt am Main in 1565 (see full title and publication details in TIB, vol. 20, part 1, p. 244]).

For those unfamiliar with the subject illustrated by this woodcut, the description of the scene is from the “Book of Revelations”, Chapter 12, Verses 1–5 (NIV translation) “The Woman and the Dragon”:

“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.

She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.

Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads.

Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born”

(see https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+12&version=NIV).

Woodcut on early laid paper with German letterpress text verso, trimmed close to the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 11.4 x 15.7 cm; (image borderline) 11.2 x 15.5 cm.

Lifetime impression (based on the quality of the line showing minimal signs of wear to the printing plate).

TIB 20 (9).1.132 (365) (Jane S Peters [ed.] 1985, “The Illustrated Bartsch: German Masters of the Sixteenth Century: Jost Amman: Intaglio Prints and Woodcuts”, vol. 20 [Part 1], New York, Abaris Books, p. 317, cat. no. 1.132 [365]).

Condition: strong/near faultless impression (with German letterpress text verso minimally visible) trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet has mellowed with age-toning appropriate to its considerable age and is in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of use).

I am selling this high quality woodcut from 1564 by one of the most famous of the German old master printmakers, for AU$288 (currently US$201.86/EUR176.43/GBP159.95 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 superb old-master woodcut showing the eagle-winged woman of the apocalypse adorned with twelve stars standing on a crescent, with God above her receiving her new-born child, while the seven-headed beast is subdued by an angel amongst stars, 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

A pair of woodcuts by Jost Amman, featuring emblem figures set beside blank escutcheons, 1579

Jost Amman (aka Jost Ammon) (1539–1591)

Double-sided leaf with woodcut illustrations to Johann Posthius’ (1537–97) “Anthologia Gnomica”, 1579, featuring 162 woodcut illustrations, published in Frankfurt am Main by Sigmund Feierabend (1528–90) and printed by Georg Rab (fl.1580).

(left image/recto) “Male figure holding a lute beside a blank escutcheon” (description title only), 1579.

(right image/verso) “Two nude women standing on orbs beside a blank escutcheon, one holding a flaming torch and the other holding a chalice” (descriptive titles only), 1579.

Two woodcuts printed verso and recto on fine laid paper re-margined with a support sheet.

Size: (re-margined support sheet) 30.7 x 22 cm; (sheet) 13.3 x 9 cm

Andresen 1868 I.399.236.27 (A Andresen, 1868, “Beiträge zur älteren niederdeutschen Kupferstichkunde des 15. und 16. Jahrhunderts, Archiv für die zeichnenden Künste [Naumanns Archiv]”, 14); New Hollstein (German) VI.152.29 (Jost Amman)

The British Museum offers the following description of the recto print:

“An empty shield with a male figure holding a lute; standing at right; illustration to Johann Posthius, 'Anthologia Gnomica', Frankfurt: Rab for Feyerabend, 1579. 1579 Woodcut”

(http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1528460&partId=1&searchText=Anthologia+Gnomica&page=1)

Condition: both impressions (recto and verso on the same sheet) are well-inked and well-printed with little or no evidence of wear to the plates (i.e. the prints are probably lifetime impressions or at least from an early printing before the printing plates became worn). The sheet shows signs of use (i.e. there are minor surface marks, flattened folds and small fractures/holes), otherwise the sheet is in excellent condition for its considerable age and has been re-margined with a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper so that both sides of the sheet can be examined without damaging the delicate paper.

I am selling these rare early woodcut impressions from 1579 showing emblem figures beside empty escutcheons (i.e. shields without armorial crests) printed on both sides of the same sheet, for AU$154 in total (currently US$118.13/EUR96.14/GBP84.37 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing these elegantly designed and skilfully executed woodcuts by one of the most famous and productive printmakers of the 16^th century, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This sheet of prints has been sold

Despite the small size of this pair of woodcuts that are printed on the two sides of the same sheet, the compositions are not cramped with line work and detail. Indeed, to my eyes there is a spirit of openness to the compositions wherein the blank paper becomes a critical design element.

Beyond Amman’s insight in allowing the blank paper to give emphasis to the important features in each composition, the blank paper contained by the shield shapes raises the interesting question: why did Amman not show an armorial crest signifying a particular noble family on each empty escutcheon? To be frank, I really don’t know the answer. I am happy to speculate nevertheless.

From my understanding of Amman’s practice as prolific printmaker, his designs often served as illustrations in more than a single publication. Mindful of this, I can appreciate the point of not furnishing a shield shape with the crest of only one family. After all, if he left the shield shape blank, each noble family could pay to have a fresh block cut and to be printed within the blank space. A sensible money-making business proposition!