Wallerant Vaillant, “Two Boys Singing”, c. 1658–77, after Frans Hals

Wallerant Vaillant (also known as Vallerant Vaillant) (1623–1677) — the first professional mezzotint artist

“Two Boys Singing” (also known as “Two Singing Boys with a Lute and a Music Book”), c. 1658–77

Technical Details & Condition:

Mezzotint printed in black on fine laid paper, trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline. Although a strong and crisp impression showing minimal signs of wear to the printing plate, it is possibly from a later edition (based on the even distribution of paper pulp around the chain lines of the laid paper) printed from the original plate. The print is after Frans Hals’ (c. 1582/1583–1666) painting (c. 1625) in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Kassel (Accession Number GK215 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Singing_Boys_with_a_Lute_and_a_Music_Book), and was originally published by Wallerant Vaillant.

The sheet remains in a near-pristine condition, entirely free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, or historical handling marks.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 27.9 x 21.7 cm
• Image borderline: 27.5 x 21.2 cm

In-Plate lettering:

• Lower centre: “F. Hals inv.”
• Lower right: “W. Vaillandt fec. et Exc.”

References:

• Hollstein Dutch 109 (Ger Luijten [comp.], “Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: Jan van der Vaart to Gerard Valck”, vol. 31, 1987, Amsterdam, Van Gendt, p. 129, cat. no. 109, state ii/ii)
• Rijksmuseum: Object Number RP-P-H-109 — https://id.rijksmuseum.nl/200135502
• British Museum: Museum Number 1875,0710.1502 —https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1875-0710-1502

Price & Shipping:

AU$263 (approx. US$186.70 / €160.52 / £137.45, subject to daily exchange rates). Price fully includes worldwide express shipping. Please note that destination import duties and local taxes remain the sole responsibility of the buyer.

To purchase this exquisite mezzotint executed after a masterpiece by Frans Hals during the golden age of Dutch printmaking, please contact me directly at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I will provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless transaction.

Wallerant Vaillant’s mezzotint, “Christ Triumphant”, c1668

Wallerant Vaillant (aka Vallerant Vaillant) (1623–1677)—"one of the first artists to use the mezzotint technique, which he probably helped to develop” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallerant_Vaillant).

“Christ Triumphant” (aka “Triomferende Christus”), c1668 (1658–1677), late edition, c1822 (based on the watermark), printed from the original plate.

Note that there may be two different versions of this mezzotint (both signed in the plate, “W V”) executed by different artists: the Rijksmuseum’s copy, which this impression matches, by Wallerant Vailliant (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.46558) and the British Museum’s copy by William Vincent (fl.1680s) (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1851-1213-662) that is almost identical to Vaillant’s print, but with subtle differences (viz. the sky behind Christ has sacred rays portrayed that are not featured in Vaillant’s print; the fold of cloth above the chalice is slightly different and other minor discrepancies). Interestingly, both artists have prints signed with their full surname, but some of Wallerant Vaillant’s prints are inscribed with just his initials “WV”—admittedly incised with significant stylistic differences to this print—(see http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.46682), whereas I have been unsuccessful in finding any prints by William Vincent inscribed with only his initials … but of course they may exist.

Mezzotint on wove paper (watermark “1822”) with wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 35.4 x 24.5 cm; (plate) 18.6 x 14.1 cm; (image borderline) 18.3 x 13.8 cm.

Inscribed in the plate at lower left corner: “W V”.

Hollstein Dutch 28 (Ger Luijten [comp.] 1987, “Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: Jan van der Vaart to Gerard Valck”, vol. 31, Amsterdam, Van Gendt, p. 78, cat. no. 28).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(Transl.) “Christ stands with the cross in his hand on a cloudscape. Before him two kneeling angels with the crown of thorns and the chalice. Cherubim in the sky” (inv. no. RP-P-1910-6893).

Condition: a strong and well-printed late impression showing very few signs of wear to the printing plate. The sheet is in extraordinarily good condition (near pristine) with no tears, holes, folds, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this very fine and historically important print—in the sense that it was executed by the first professional mezzotint artist who also helped to perfect the labour-intensive process of mezzotint—for the total cost of AU$273 (currently US$211.45/EUR173.73/GBP149.36 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 early milestone in the art of mezzotint, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.