Giovanni Merlo’s engraving, “Saint Amatus”, c.1656, after Raphael Sadeler I and Maarten de Vos

Giovanni Merlo (fl.c.1656–1696)

“Saint Amatus”—Bishop of Nusco near Salerno, died 1093 and celebrated on 13 September (see TIB 71 [Part 1], p. 144), c.1656, plate 19 in the series of thirty plates, “Hermits Sylvae Sacrae (Monumenta …Anachoretarum…)”, after a drawing in the Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin (inv. 79B17, pl. 1), dated 1593, by Maarten de Vos (1532–1603), in reverse after the engraving of the same composition executed by Raphael Sadeler I (1560/61–1628/32) (see https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2017/11/raphael-sadeler-is-engraving-saint.html).

Engraving on laid paper with a small margin around the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 18 x 21.4 cm; (plate) 16.6 x 20.2 cm; (image borderline) 15.1 x 19.7 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (lower right corner) “G^io. Merlo”

Numbered and lettered in plate below the image borderline (note that my reading of the Latin text may have errors): “Harpagat infernus Cererein tibi corinis AMATE,/ Tu gaudes dum plus esuriisse potes.//19//Deiectam medio Suspendis in acre molem:/ Nam parent Sanctis Saxa vel ipsa viris.”

Lifetime impression (based on the quality of line showing no sign of wear to the printing plate).

TIB 7001.109 C3 (Isabelle de Ramaix [ed.] 2001, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Raphael Sadeler I Fecit”, Vol. 71, Part 1 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 144, cat. no. [7001].109 C3).

Condition: a richly inked and near faultless impression. There are a few pale marks and early restored tears in the lower left corner, otherwise, the sheet is a good condition.

I am selling this exceptionally strong engraving in a near pristine condition exemplifying the period style of Mannerism, for the total cost of AU$248 (currently US$165.76/EUR149.98/GBP132.03 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 engraving showing the saint praying in the foreground and pumping water in the distance while an impish flying devil urinates on the saint’s dwelling and a bird flies away with his bread and water, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Jan Sadeler I’s engraving, “Saint Ephraem”, 1594, after Maarten de Vos

Jan Sadeler I (aka Johann Sadeler; Johannes Sadeler) (1550–1600)

“Saint Ephraem” (TIB title) (aka “St Ephrem as Hermit”; “Ephräm der Syrer”; “Ephrem of Edessa”; “Heilige Ephraim als Kluizenaar”), 1594, plate 3 from the series of 25 engravings, “Oraculum Anachoreticum: Hermits” (aka “Lives of the Hermits”; “Mannelijke kluizenaars”; “Solitudo Sive Vitae Patrum Eremicolarum”, after a lost drawing by Maarten de Vos (aka Marten de Vos; Maerten de Vos) (1532–1603), published by Raphael Sadeler I (1560/61–1628/32) and/or Jan Sadeler I in Antwerp.

Engraving on laid paper with wide margins backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 24.3 x 34.5 cm; (plate) 16.7 x 20.4 cm; (image borderline) 15.4 x 20.4 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (lower left) “Sadelr. scalp.”; (lower left-of-centre) “M de Vos in:”.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: “Soli sic ardẽs Basilius paruit EPHREM,/ Cui dedit Argolico posset ut ore loqui.// 3// Non secus ac pęrẽses ventur[us] ab æthere Judex/ Terruit hunc: terrẽt quãdo futura malos?”

Lifetime impression. State i (of ii) before the plate number (“3”) is effaced in state ii.

TIB 7001. 380 (Isabelle de Ramaix 2001, “The Illustrated Bartsch”, vol. 70, Part 2 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 223, cat. no. [7001].380); Hollstein (Vos) 997 (Christiaan Schuckman [comp.] 1996, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: Maarten de Vos: text”, vol. 44, Rotterdam, Sound and Vision Rijksprentenkabinet, p. 207, cat. no. 997); Hollstein (Sadeler) 409 (Dieuwke de Hoop Scheffer [comp.] 1980, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: Aegidius Sadeler to Raphael Sadeler II: text”, vol. 21, Amsterdam, Van Gendt & Co, p. 150 cat. no. 490).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “Saint Ephraim the Syrian as an early Christian hermit, in a hut in a forest landscape. He kneels before the vision of a fiery column appearing in the sky (the annunciation of Saint Basil the Great).” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.168977).

Condition: a richly inked, well-printed, near faultless lifetime/first state impression with wide margins around the platemark and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. There is a wormhole in the margin on the left edge, a restored tear on the line of the flattened the centrefold and a faded ink number at the lower right corner of the image; otherwise, the sheet is in a very good condition for its considerable age with no significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this sensitively executed and very beautiful engraving by one of the most famous of the Flemish old masters showing Saint Ephraem (c.306–373)—famous for his role in introducing singing into public worship and (possibly more in legend than fact) his role in summonsing a cloud to flies and mosquitoes to repel the army of Sapor II —kneeling at his cave/hermitage entrance beside a rapidly flowing stream on a mountain in Edessa, as he contemplates a vision of a column in the sky (note that the saint was perceived and named as “the column of the church”), for AU$304 (currently US$203.19/EUR183.85/GBP161.84 at the time of posting this print) 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 superb lifetime impression, 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

Jan Sadeler I’s engraving, “Saint Spiridion”, c.1585, after Maarten de Vos

Jan Sadeler I (aka Johann Sadeler; Johannes Sadeler) (1550–1600)

“Saint Spiridion” (TIB title) (aka “Spiridon of Cyprus as Hermit”; “St Spiridionis”; “Spiridon van Cyprus als Kluizenaar”), (1583–1588 [Rijksmuseum dates]), plate 15 from the series of 25 engravings, “Oraculum Anachoreticum: Hermits” (aka “Lives of the Hermits”; “Mannelijke kluizenaars”; “Solitudo Sive Vitae Patrum Eremicolarum”, after a lost drawing by Maarten de Vos (aka Marten de Vos; Maerten de Vos) (1532–1603), published by Raphael Sadeler I (1560/61–1628/32) and/or Jan Sadeler I in Antwerp.

Engraving on laid paper with wide margins backed with a support sheet.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (lower left) “Sadel: exc:”

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: “Tirones in monte cauo pia scripta docere,/ Et labor et studium SPIRIDIONIS erat.// 15// Vincere quo prauos affectus carne subarta/ Possent, ac structos dæmonis arte dosls.”

Size: (sheet) 25.2 x 33.3 cm; (plate) 16.9 x 20.7 cm; (image borderline) 15.4 x 20.3 cm.

State i (of ii) before the plate number (“15”) is effaced in state ii.

TIB 7001. 363 (Isabelle de Ramaix 2001, “The Illustrated Bartsch”, vol. 70, Part 2 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 196, cat. no. [7001].363); Hollstein (Johann Sadeler I) 393 (Dieuwke de Hoop Scheffer [comp.] 1980, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: Aegidius Sadeler to Raphael Sadeler II: text”, vol. 21, Amsterdam, Van Gendt & Co, p. 148, cat. no. 392); Hollstein (Vos) 437 (Christiaan Schuckman [comp.] 1996, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: Maarten de Vos: text”, vol. 44, Rotterdam, Sound and Vision Rijksprentenkabinet, p. 205, cat. no. 979); Edquist 71A.b (p. 61).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “St. Spiridon of Cyprus in front of a cave in the desert. He lies against a rock and reads a bible. In the cave, three monks are reading from a bible” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.502758).

See also the description of this print offered by the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen: https://www.boijmans.nl/en/collection/artworks/119860/spiridionis.

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed, lifetime impression (based on the quality of line showing no sign of wear to the printing plate, traces of the guidelines for the lettering and its state before the plate number is erased) with wide margins around the platemark and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. There is a flattened and restored corner crease in the margin at lower right and pale ink numbers from a previous collector below the platemark at right; otherwise, the sheet is in a very good condition for its considerable age with no significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this sensitively executed and very beautiful engraving by one of the most famous of the Flemish old masters showing Saint Spiridion, who was the Bishop of Trinitonte and retired to the life of a hermit until he died in 348—note that the Latin text below the image helps to explain his role as portrayed: “To teach the disciples pious writings on the cavernous/hollow mountain … [so that] they could conquer the weak affections of the flesh, and subdue the devil's artifice”—for AU$304 (currently US$203.19/EUR183.85/GBP161.84 at the time of posting this print) 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 superb lifetime impression of museum quality, 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 Sadeler I’s engraving, “Satyr Lifting Syrinx’s Cover”, c1590

Raphael Sadeler I (1560/61–1628/32)

“Satyr Lifting Syrinx’s Cover” (aka Satyr Lifting Venus' Veil”; “Jupiter and Antiope”), c1590 (1578–1603/28), published by Raphael Sadeler with privilege of Rudolf II of Habsburg (German Emperor).

Engraving on laid paper trimmed with a chipped edge around the platemark and backed by a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 18.1 x 21.1 cm; (plate) 17.9 X 20.8 cm; (image borderline) 16.3 x 20.5 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline along the lower edge: (left) “Cum grat. et preuil. S.C.M." (privilege of Rudolph II); (right) “Raph. Sad. fe. et exc.”

Lettered on plate below the image borderline with four lines of Latin in two columns: "Hirce petulce fuga ... fugis, ipsa fugo”.

State ii (of iii) with the addition of the privilege but before the addition of the date.

TIB 7101.157 S2 (Isabelle de Ramaix 2001, “The Illustrated Bartsch”, vol. 71, Part 1 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 226, cat. no. [7101].157 S2); Hollstein Dutch 173 (Dieuwke de Hoop Scheffer [comp.] 1980, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: Aegidius Sadeler to Raphael Sadeler II: text”, vol. 21, Amsterdam, Van Gendt & Co, p. 248, cat. no. 174); Nagler 1835–52, no. 125; Le Blanc, no. 108; Wurzbach, no. 107; Edquist, p. 404, no. 49a.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Satyr lifting Venus' veil; Venus lying naked on a bed at right, a satyr at left lifting her bed sheet, Cupid standing on the bed and raising his bow towards the satyr in attack”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1937-0915-403).

See also the descriptions of this print offered by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Rijksmuseum:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/720289;

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.168858.

Condition: well-printed strong impression (cf. the abraded copy held by the BM) in good condition for its considerable age (i.e. there are no significant tears, folds or stains) trimmed with fractured edges around the platemark and backed on laid paper.

I am selling this rare engraving showing Jupiter (without his eagle), disguised as a satyr, lightly lifting the top sheet (or veil) off sleeping Antiope, to the alarm of cupid who raises his bow in protest, for $422 (currently US$305.91/EUR258.58/GBP234.49 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 lifetime impression of a small masterpiece of the period style of Mannerism—note Antiope’s dainty feet and long body, the theatrical gestures and the dramatic lighting—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

Jan Sadeler I’s engraving, “Saint Or”, 1585, after Maarten de Vos

Jan Sadeler I (aka Johannes Sadeler; Johann Sadeler) (1550–1600) possibly in collaboration with Raphael Sadeler (1561–1628)

“Saint Or” (a saint from Syriaco [Egypt] and a martyr of Antinoë), 1585, after a drawing by Maarten de Vos (aka Maarten de Vos; Maerten de Vos) (1532–1603) (Isabelle de Ramaix [2001] in TIB, vol. 70, Part 2 [Supplement], advises that the drawing is with an art dealer [see p. 204 for details]), plate 20 in the series, “Solitudo sive vitae patrum eremicolarum” (aka “Mannelijke kluizenaars”), published by Jan Sadeler I in Antwerp.

Engraving on laid paper with a narrow margin around the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 17.3 x 21.6 cm; (plate) 16.7 x 21.3 cm; (image borderline) 15.2 x 20.8 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline on the barrel at the lower right corner with ligature monogram: “IS/ excu.”

Lettered and numbered on plate below the image borderline: “OR deserta colens paucis accessa, flagrantes/ Ad Dominum fudit nocte dieq[ue] preces.// 20// Huic plu[v]ialis acqua, et iunctæ sil[v]estrib[us] herbis/ Crudæ radices, potus et esca fuit.”

Lifetime impression, state i (of ii) before the erasing of the plate number (“20”) of the second state.

TIB 7001.368 S1 (Isabelle de Ramaix 2001, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Johan Sadeler I”, vol. 70, Part 2 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 204, cat. no. [7001] .368 S1); Hollstein (Sadeler) 397; Hollstein (Vos) 984; Le Blanc, no. 121; Wurzbach, no. 113; Edquist, p. 64, no. 74a; Nagler 1835–52, no. 135.

vHMML (an initiative of the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library) offers the following description of this print:

“Engraving depicting St. Or, from the series ‘Solitudo sive vitae patrum eremicolarum’, one of the five hermit series produced by de Vos between 1580 and 1600. The saint is shown kneeling by a cross resting on the ground before him. A small structure built into a tree nearby holds an image of the Virgin and Child. To the right, a cask is covered by a shade, with a drinking bowl hanging from the stick propping it up. Rain is depicted in the forest background; a rivulet of water flows into a pitcher. … Probably designed in Antwerp by de Vos and engraved and published in Munich by the Sadeler family” (https://w3id.org/vhmml/museum/view/1688).

See also the description offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.168572.

Condition: well-printed early impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate with a narrow margin around the platemark. The sheet is in near pristine condition for its considerable age (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of use).

I am selling this very beautiful lifetime impression from 1585—note the superb early representation of rain behind the praying saint—for the total cost of AU$312 (currently US$219.90/EUR188.80/GBP172.46 at the time of 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 engraving executed with the most sensitive of touches, 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