Jan Sadeler I’s engraving, “Saint Zenon”, 1600, after Maarten de Vos

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

“Saint Zenon” (aka “Heilige Zeno van Antiochië als kluizenaar”), 1595–1600, after a lost drawing by Maarten de Vos (aka Maarten de Vos; Maerten de Vos) (1532–1603), plate 5 in the series, “Oraculum Anachoreticum” (aka “Hermits”), published by Jan Sadeler and/or Raphael Sadeler I (1560/61–1628/32) in Venice with privilege from Rudolf II of Habsburg and Clemens VIII.

Engraving on fine laid paper trimmed along (or close to) the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 17.1 x 21.1 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline on lower edge: (left) “Cu[m] priuil Su[m]mi/ Pontific/ et Sacr Cæs. Maiest. excud.”; (right of centre) "Ioa[n] Sadeler”; (right) vos i[n]u”.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: “ZENONIS membra …/ …// 5// … / …cibo.”

State i (of i) (TIB does not propose any additional states)

TIB 7001.411 (Isabelle de Ramaix 2001, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Johan Sadeler I”, vol. 70, Part 2 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 279, cat. no. .411); Hollstein 1980. Vol. 21, no. 441; Hollstein vol. 44 (Maarten de Vos), no. 1055.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“St Zeno praying besides a gesticulating youth in a wood with a small chapel in a clearing beyond”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1958-0712-225).

See also the Rijksmuseum’s description of this print:

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.169036).

From what I have discovered in my research into the hermit saint portrayed here, the British Museum advises that hermit is Zeno of Verona (aka the Bishop of Verona) who lived around 300 to  371 or 380AD and is distinguished by forbidding “funeral masses being accompanied by attendees' loud groans and wailing” (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeno_of_Verona) and  other achievements. For me, however, the attributes of this saint (viz. “fishing-related items such as a fish, fishing rod, or as a bishop holding a fishing rod, or with a fish hanging from his crozier”) are not to be seen in this engraving and the attribution seems thin.

My preference of historical choice for the portrayed hermit is Zeno the Hermit, of Antioch (aka “the Letter-Bearer of Cæsarea”—a title derived from his role as Emperor Valens’ [fl.364–378AD] postman). The reason for my preference is simple: when Zeno retired from being a simple and humble postman upon Emperor Valens’ death and retreated to the ascetic life of a hermit, he was fed bread on each alternate day by a friend, like the one shown here (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeno_the_Hermit).

Condition: near faultless and well-printed early impression, showing no sign of wear to the printing plate, trimmed along/close to the platemark. The sheet is lightly yellowed with age and has a closed tear near a flattened centre-fold.

I am selling this exceptionally beautiful engraving—note the exquisitely rendered bird, lizard and squirrel—showing what I believe to be the praying saint receiving a loaf of bread and wine from a friend pointing to what may be either his dwelling or a small chapel, for the total cost of AU$340 (currently US$230.12/EUR208.67/GBP176.08 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 simply glorious 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

Giovanni Merlo’s engraving, “St. Chariton the Confessor”, c.1650, after Raphael Sadeler

Giovanni Merlo (fl.c.1656–1696)

“St. Chariton the Confessor”, c.1650, plate 1 in the series, “Sylvae Sacrae” after a lost drawing by Maarten de Vos (1532–1603) in reverse after the 1594 engraving of the same composition by Raphael Sadeler (1561–1628) (see: https://w3id.org/vhmml/museum/view/1829).

Regarding the portrayed hermit, I understand that St. Chariton was tortured for his Christian faith during Emperor Aurelian’s (270–275) reign and was then abducted to Wadi Farouk (near Jerusalem) by bandits. He settled into a cave in the Pharan Valley after the bandits died from drinking wine poisoned by a snake (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariton_the_Confessor).

Engraving on early laid paper (based on the characteristically uneven thickening around the chainlines) with a small margin around the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 18.2 x 21.9 cm; (plate) 16.5 x 20.2 cm; (image borderline) 14.9 x 19.9 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (lower right corner) “Gio Merlo”.

Numbered and lettered on plate in two lines of Latin in two columns below the image borderline: "Iconius CHARITON vinculis & carcere misus/ Se nemorum properat claudere carceribus.//1// Dura silex nectar sitienti dulce propinat;/ Namque solent Diuum saxa mouere preces."

TIB 7101.099 C1 (copy in reverse signed “Gio Merlo”) (Isabelle de Ramaix [ed.] 2006, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Raphael Sadeler I”, Vol. 71, Part 1 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 124, cat. no. [7101].099 C1).

Condition: richly inked faultless impression in excellent/museum quality condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, losses, abrasions, significant stains or foxing—but there is faded ink alteration by an old hand to the plate number recto).

I am selling this exceptionally strong engraving exemplifying the period style of Mannerism, for the total cost of AU$248 (currently US$156.27/EUR144.19/GBP125.99 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 St Chariton confessing to a crucifix in his final lavra (called Syriac Souka) that I understand is only accessible by ladders and features a flowing stream from a spring within the cave, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Circle of Raphael Sadeler’s engraving, “Blessed Egidius (Giles) of Assisi”, c.1606

Unidentified engraver (possibly Giovanni Merlo [fl.c.1656–1696]) from the circle of Raphael Sadeler (1561–1628) (Note that my attibution to Merlo is based on another print from the same series having this engraver's name inscribed on the plate.)

“Blessed Egidius (Giles) of Assisi” (TIB title) (aka “Saint Giles”; “Sant’Egidio”; “Giles the Hermit”), c.1606, plate 22 in the series, “Sylvae Sacrae” after a lost drawing by Maarten de Vos (1532–1603) in reverse of the engraving (1594) by Raphael Sadeler

(see https://w3id.org/vhmml/museum/view/1843).

Note that there is a similar copy of this print by Thomas de Leu (aka Leeuw; Le Leup; Deleu] (1560–1612) and/or Charles van Boeckel (aka Carel van Bockel) (fl.1597–1603), but there are a few significant differences in the composition (e.g. the area of the sky is reduced [see http://www.galleriagarisenda.it/prodotto/29658-santegidio/]).

Engraving on early laid paper (based on the characteristically uneven thickening around the chainlines) with small margins around the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 17.4 x 20.9 cm; (plate) 16.5 x 20.2 cm; (image borderline) 15.3 x 19.7 cm.

Numbered and lettered on plate in two lines of Latin: “EGIDIVM Regis sobolem tegit umbra cauernæ, […] Quem fera captanti prædam cane prodidit altrix:// Vbera cui præbet cerua dat herba dapes. […] 20 […] Nec virtus antro clausa latere potest.”

TIB 7101.110 C2 (copy in reverse unsigned) (Isabelle de Ramaix [ed.] 2006, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Raphael Sadeler I”, Vol. 71, Part 1 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 146, cat. no. [7101].110 C2).

Condition: richly inked faultless impression in excellent/museum quality condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, losses, abrasions, significant stains or foxing—but there is a flatten centrefold that is virtually invisible recto).

I am selling this exceptionally beautiful engraving of St Giles—the patron saint for the physically disabled beside the red deer which sustained him with its milk—for the total cost of AU$248 (currently US$161.78/EUR142.50/GBP125.05 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 capturing in its portrayal of the saint reading his gospel in the company of his hind, the critical moment when a huntsman for King Wamba (c. 643 – 687/688) readies his crossbow to kill the hermit’s deer, but hits the hermit instead —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 II’s engraving, “Seascape with Christ Walking on Water”, c.1615, after Paul Bril

Raphael Sadeler II (1584–1632)

“Seascape with Christ Walking on Water” (aka “Seascape with Christ and his disciples in the storm on the Sea of ​​Galilee” [Zeegezicht met Christus en zijn leerlingen in de storm op het meer van Galilea]), c.1615 (1599–1632), after Paul Bril (aka Paulus Brill; Paolo Brillo) (1553/4–1626)

Engraving on laid paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 27.2 x 34.4 cm; (plate) 20.2 x 27.4 cm; (image borderline) 19.4 x 27.2 cm.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “P. Bril inuentor”; (right) “Raphael Sadeler iun. Scalpsit”.

State i (of i)

Hollstein Dutch 50 (Dieuwke de Hoop Scheffer [comp.] 1980, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: Aegidius Sadeler to Raphael Sadeler II”, vol. 21, [text], Amsterdam, Van Gendt & Co, p. 278, cat. 50).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Seascape with Christ walking on water in lower right, a ship on a choppy sea at left, St Peter walking towards Christ at centre, smaller boats and a city in background; after Paul Bril”

(https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3097236&partId=1&searchText=Raphael+Sadeler+Bril&page=1).

See also the description offered by the Rijksmuseum:

(transl.) “A maritime landscape. On the left, the disciples of Christ sail over the Sea of ​​Galilee in a boat during a storm. Christ follows them over the water on the left. Peter walks over the water towards Christ. He threatens to drown but Christ saves him”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.169175).

Condition: excellent early impression (based on no evidence of wear to the printing plate), but with a flattened printer’s crease at centre and restored tears in lower margin. Beyond the restoration of tears, the sheet is otherwise in a clean condition with no foxing or significant stains.

Note that this is a second impression of this engraving that I have posted. The previous copy has been sold.

I am selling this remarkably strong engraving showing a sparkling light filled scene following a storm and the miracle of St Peter walking—but sadly also starting to sink because of his lack of faith—on a wind-whipped sea towards Christ who is also walking on water in the foreground, for AU$384 (currently US$258.24/EUR238.08/GBP197.98 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 marvellous engraving of vast space animated with natural and biblical drama, 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 II's engraving, “Seascape with Christ and his Disciples in the Storm on the Sea of ​​Galilee”, c1615

Raphael Sadeler II (1584 –1632)

“Seascape with Christ and his Disciples in the Storm on the Sea of ​​Galilee” (Rijksmuseum title [transl.]) (aka “Seascape with Christ walking on the Waters” [BM title]), c1615 (1599–1632), after Paul Bril (c1553/54–1626).

Engraving on fine laid paper trimmed along, or close to, the plate-mark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 20.1 x 27.4 cm; (image borderline) 19.3 x 27 cm

Inscribed on plate below the image borderline: (left) “P Bril inuentor”; (right) “Raphael Sadeler iun Scalpsit”

State i (of i)

Hollstein 50 (Dieuwke de Hoop Scheffer & K.G. Boon [eds.] 1980, “Dutch and Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts ca. 1450-1700”, vol. 21, Amsterdam, Van Gendt & Co, p. 278, cat.nr. 50).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Seascape with Christ walking on water in lower right, a ship on a choppy sea at left, St Peter walking towards Christ at centre, smaller boats and a city in background; after Paul Bril”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3097236&partId=1&searchText=Raphael+Sadeler+Bril&page=1)

See also the description of this print at the Rijksmuseum:

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.169175

Condition: crisp impression trimmed along—or close to—the plate-mark with small tears below the image borderline, a closed tear in the dark clouds (upper left) and a few handling marks, otherwise the sheet is in very good condition (i.e. there are no holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing), backed with a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this luminous engraving portraying the moment when St Peter is distracted by an approaching storm and loses faith in Jesus’ instruction that he can walk on water and begins to sink into the sea, for AU$320 in total (currently US$243.76/EUR212.68/GBP188.04 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). (My apologies if my explanation of this scene is flawed and for those needing greater clarity about this biblical event, see Matthew 14:22–33.)

If you are interested in purchasing this remarkable engraving rendered with the theatrical drama of the period style known as Mannerism, 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