Jan de Bisschop’s etching, “Elder Son of Laocoon”, c1670

Jan de Bisschop (aka Johannes Episcopius) (1628–1671)

“Elder Son of Laocoon”, c1669–71, plate 56 from the series of 157 etchings, “Signorum Veterum Icones” published in two volumes by Nicolaas Visscher II (1649 – 1702) in 1672. This etching is purportedly based on Baccio Bandinelli’s (1493–1560) reconstructed copy of the antique sculpture, “Laocoön and His Sons” (aka “The Laocoön Group”), in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

Etching on fine laid paper with narrow margins backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 24 x 11.1 cm; (plate) 23.3 x 10.3 cm

Inscribed on plate: (upper right corner) “56”; (lower right) (monogram of the artist) ''JE f.'' (Nagler III.2254)

Hollstein 6 (F W H Hollstein 1949, “Dutch and Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts c.1450-1700”, Amsterdam); Van Gelder 1985 I.141.56 (Jan Van Gelder & Ingrid Jost 1985, “Jan de Bisschop and his Icones & Paradigmata”, 2, Doornspijk, Davaco).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Statue of the elder son of Laocoon with the snake and parts of Laocoon's left leg; back view; probably after Baccio Bandinelli's reconstruction” (http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3374911&partId=1&searchText=Bisschop+28&page=1?bibId=4603)

Condition: crisp, well-inked and well-printed early impression (based on the lack of wear to the plate) with narrow margins backed with a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There is a closed tear towards the centre of the left side, otherwise the sheet is in good condition with minor signs of handling (i.e. there are a few marks/spots).

I am selling this intriguing etching showing a fragment of the antique sculpture, “Laocoön and His Sons”, for AU$176 in total (currently US$131.58/EUR111.62/GBP99.20 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 beautifully rendered figure—the elder son of Laocoon—battling with a serpent, 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

From my understanding of the 157 plates in the series, “Signorum Veterum Icones”, they were designed to be artistic study pieces showcasing major artworks from the past. Mindful of this envisaged role, I can see the reason why De Bisschop chose this particular section of the famous antique sculpture, “Laocoön and His Sons”, to render: the modelling of the figure’s back is a perfect display of manly muscles and a bubble butt.

At this point I should discuss meaningful features of this study piece—such as the principle that there are (almost) no concavities in the silhouette edge of a figure—but I hesitate as I remember reading an analysis of this sculpture by the extraordinary arts writer, Peter Fuller. Fuller recounted a moment of interaction in a lecture with the insight that there is no need to explain in technical terms how the dynamic play of muscles connote that the figures are in distress. After all, we can see clearly that the serpent is killing the boys!

For those who may be unfamiliar with the reason why this figure—the elder son of Laocoon—along with his brother and father are sculpted battling a snake, the reason is (…and I may be wrong) as punishment for his father jabbing his spear into the soldier-filled Trojan horse to reveal that the horse was a military ruse. An alternative reason for the boys’ engagement with the monstrous snake is because their father had sex with his wife in the temple of Poseidon. (What a shameless dude!)

The Curator of the British Museum offers the following information about the subject portrayed in this print:

“This statue of the oldest son of Laocoon, probably after Baccio Bandinelli's reconstruction of the antique group … is now in the Uffizi in Florence (inv. no. 284). The etching shows the figure in reverse, but no draughtsman's name was mentioned. Neither this, nor any intermediary drawing have come to light. In his list of contents and locations De Bisschop says that this plate shows a detail of the antique group. However the viewpoint as well as at least one detail make it likely that Bandinelli's group is reproduced. His group comes closest to this plate because the boy's right heel rests on a slab whereas in both the antique group and the Louvre cast it is raised without any support”

(http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3376177&partId=1&people=132153&peoA=132153-2-60&page=3)

Auguste Feyen-Perrin’s etching, “Vanneuse” (Winnower), c1875

Auguste Feyen-Perrin (aka François Auguste Feyen-Perrin; François Nicolas Augustin Feyen-Perrin) (1826–1888)

“Vanneuse” (Winnower), c1875, printed by Alfred Salmon (aka Alfred Fortuné Salmon) (fl.1863–1894)

Etching on thick white wove paper with wide margins

Size: (sheet) 32.7 x 23.3 cm; (plate) 16.8 x 10.6 cm; (image borderline) 13.5 x 7.6 cm

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “Feyen-Perrin del. et sc.”; (centre) “VANNEUSE”; (right) "Imp.A.Salmon.”

See details about this print at Les Musée de la Ville de Paris:

http://parismuseescollections.paris.fr/fr/musee-carnavalet/oeuvres/vanneuse#infos-secondaires-detail

Condition: faultless impression in pristine condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or any signs of handling) with wide margins.

I am selling this rare etching (I have only been able to locate one copy of it in any public collection) in pristine condition for AU$154 (currently US$114.32/EUR97.64/GBP86.91 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 extraordinarily beautiful etching, 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

Like many of Feyen-Perrin’s etchings this print is related to an oil painting of the same composition. The artist’s choice of subject—here a winnower—leaned towards images of working folk especially those near the sea. In this print, for example, I suspect that the far distance portrayed with horizontal lines may be the ocean rather than fields. Feyen-Perrin’s interest, however, was not simply depicting their labour with objectively cool eyes. Instead, his fascination is similar to that of Millet in showing rural work as noble labour worthy of respect.

Interestingly, Philip Gilbert Hammerton (1876) in his justifiably famous “Etching & Etchers” (printed in lots of editions) views the portrayed workers in Feyen-Perrin’s etchings as “rather melancholy” (p. 226) and proposes that the artist “has much natural sympathy for the pathos of hard life, especially as it touches women” (ibid). From my way of looking at this particular print, I see this lady in her engagement with letting the breeze blow away the chaff from the grain as all about freeze framing the act so that it becomes an endless iconic moment.

A pair of Jean Baptiste Huet’s etchings of heads, 1796/7

Jean Baptiste Huet (1745–1811)

Left image:

“Head of a bearded man, in profile to right, looking upwards”, 1796/7, the middle-left section of plate 10 from the series of 38 plates, “Oeuvres de J. B. Huet” (aka “Cahiers d'études”), published according to BM curator: “in several parts and dated 1796–1799 (Republican years 4-7)” (1860,0211.181).

Etching on heavy cream laid paper trimmed with margins around the image borderline.

Size: (sheet) 17.8 x 17.4 cm; (image borderline) 16.4 x 15.1 cm

Inscribed on plate below the image borderline: (left): “J. B. Hüet l'an 5”.

Condition: faultless impression, trimmed irregularly from a larger composite image—this is the middle-left section—with margins around the image borderline in near pristine condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing and with minimal signs of handling).

The British Museum offers a description of this print:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1522868&partId=1&searchText=Jean-Baptiste+Huet&page=1

Right image:

“Head of a bearded man, in profile to left, looking downwards”, 1796/7, the middle-right section of plate 10 from the series of 38 plates, “Oeuvres de J. B. Huet”.

Etching on heavy cream laid paper trimmed with margins around the image borderline.

Size: (sheet) 17.8 x 16.9 cm; (image borderline) 16.4 x 15.1 cm

Inscribed on plate below the image borderline: (left): “J. B. Hüet l'an 5”.

Condition: faultless impression, trimmed irregularly from a larger composite image—this is the middle-right section—with margins around the image borderline in near pristine condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing and with minimal signs of handling).

The British Museum offers a description of this print:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1522871&partId=1&searchText=Jean-Baptiste+Huet&page=1

I am selling this pair of etchings extracted from a larger composite image by a previous collector for AU$220 (currently US$151.22/EUR135.48/GBP118.88 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 pair of etchings by Huet, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

These prints have been sold

To my eyes these head studies seem to have their origins in the work of Rubens. Whether or not this attribution to the master of the Baroque Age is correct is probably irrelevant. After all, the theatricality of the lighting, the angling of the heads along with the captured narrative of what their faces express and the curving flow of the linework that animates the heads—brings them “to life”—has the hallmarks of the Baroque period style with which Jean Baptiste Huet is historically affiliated.

From a personal way of looking at Huet’s technique, I am impressed by the way that he “clusters” his marks to give the illusion that he has used a broad drawing implement for the closer features of the heads while the lines describing the energised background are by contrast comparatively fine. I am also impressed that Huet uses dots to give variation to the length of his lines and alternates between creating the illusion of white/negative lines and black/positive lines in his modelling of hair and beard. Indeed, Huet is so skilful in his depiction of the figures’ facial hair that there is no doubt (at least in my mind) that these men are blonde/light haired—perhaps Norsemen?

Antonio Tempesta’s etching, “The Romans Defeated by the Dutch Troops at Bonna”, 1611

Antonio Tempesta (1555?–1630)

“The Romans Defeated by the Dutch Troops at Bonna” (the Met title) or “Dutch Soldiers Return from Germany to Aid Civilis Defeat the Romans” (TIB title), 1611, possibly after Otto van Veen (1556–1629) (according to the Rijksmuseum [see RP-P-OB-37,681), plate 9 from the series of 37 plates (including the frontispiece/titlepage), “The War of the Romans against the Batavians” (Romanorvm et Batavorvm societas), published in the first edition (1612) with Latin letterpress text verso.

Etching on laid paper trimmed with thread margins around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 16.4 x 21.2 cm

Lettered below the image borderline: (in four lines of Dutch text at left): “Het Holladtsch cryghsvolck dat in Duytschlandt was, comt af van / Civilis te voren verwillight zynde. De Romeynen te Bon ligghende / vallen sterck wt om dat te Beletten, maer van de Hollan- / ders gheslaghen; dewelcke voort treckende voeghen hen by Civilis.”; (center within a circle) “9”; (in four lines of Latin text at right) “Batavorum cohortes in Italiam pergentes a Civili / occulte domum revocantur: Romani Bonnam insi- / dentes iter impedire conati erumpunt, sed a / Batavis funduntur.”

Latin text on verso from Tacitus’ “Histories”, IV, 19–29,

State i (of iii) Note: TIB lists this impression as “SI II” and the impressions without the Latin text verso as “SI I2”. In the third state the plate is “heavily retouched” and with “PLANCHE IX. / PASSAGE DE BONN FORCÉ.” (among other changes). There is also a copy in the same direction executed by Joseph Mulder and inscribed, “I. Mulder fecit.”

TIB 35 (17).568 S1 (145) (Sebastian Buffa [ed.] 1984, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Antonio Tempesta: Italian Masters of the Sixteenth Century”, vol. 35, Abaris Books, New York, p. 297); Bartsch XVII.145.568 i/ii (Adam von Bartsch 1803, “Le Peintre graveur,” Vienna); Nagler XVIII.179.560-.595 (G K Nagler 1835–52, “Neus allgemeines Künstler-Lexicon” [22 vols.]).

See also the description of this print at the Rijksmuseum:

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.183680

and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/401511 

Condition: superb early impression from the first state that is richly inked, crisp and well-printed with Latin letterpress text from verso faintly visible recto (as is appropriate and expected for a print from this early edition). The sheet is in near faultless condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing), trimmed to the image borderline and backed with a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this strong lifetime impression of this magnificent etching for the total cost of AU$195 (currently US$144.83/EUR123.44/GBP110.36 at the time of posting this) 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 near pristine etching executed when Rembrandt was only a five year old boy, 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

In earlier posts I have discussed quite a few of Tempesta’s other etchings from the same thirty-seven plate series (“The War of the Romans against the Batavians” [Romanorvm et Batavorvm societas]), but I have not focused attention on the letterpress text printed verso. Mindful of this shortfall, the time has come to address the text written by the great Roman historian (and senator), Tacitus (Publius/Gaius Cornelius Tacitus) (c56–c120 AD), shown on the back of this print.

Let me begin by admitting that in my schoolboy days I was not aware that I was a nerd. Now that I can look back on early interests without cringing, I can comfortably report that at the time I was fascinated by the early Roman writers, Tacitus and Suetonius. The reason, in part, was simply because the stories were rich in shocking behaviour (particularly Suetonius’ accounts of debauchery). I admit, however, that I also held a deep fascination for my Ancient History teacher who had a marvellous Scottish accent—oh such a beautiful a sound!—and the best collection of furry coats.

This early interest in Tacitus is now coming back to me as a reward for reading (in translation of course) what happened in ancient Roman times. What is shown here (from Tacitus’ “Histories”, IV, 19–29) is as Eckhard Leuschner (2007) explains:

“…an eruption of Roman troops from the gates of Bonna (Bonn) in an unsuccessful attempt to detain the Batavian troops which, although officially still in the service of the Romans, have been secretly order to return home by Civilis.” (TIB, vol., 35, Part 2, Commentary, p. 119).

My understanding of the portrayed scene, based on the Latin text lettered on the plate below the image (recto), is that the Batavian cohorts “from the Civil War in Italy” were near the gates of the city of Bonna when the Romans “burst out” but they were routed by the “Dutch” (i.e. the Batavians).

Crispijn de Passe the Elder’s engraving (with etching), “Transitus”, 1599

Crispijn de Passe the Elder (aka Crispin Van de Passe; Crispin De Passe) (1564–1637) or from his work-shop

“Transitus” (transl. crossing), 1599, from the series of 30 plates, “Hortus Voluptatum” (transl. garden).

Engraving with etching on fine laid paper with small margins, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 13.2 x 18 cm; (plate) 10.4 x 15.9 cm; (image borderline) 9.2 x 15.7 cm

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (lower centre) “Transitus”

Lettered on plate below the image borderline in two lines of Latin text in two collumns: “In tenebris mundi dominatur vana voluptas, Hac tramen inconstans agitatio voluit ad ignem: / Fraus, cum stultitia, quodque cupido iubet. Transit et in fumum gloria, munde, tua.” (trans. " In the dark world's dominant empty pleasure on this train is unstable, shaking wanted to fire / Fraud, folly, and taking action. Glory passes into smoke harmonizes with yours.") (Note that my deciphering of the lettering may be flawed.)

Franken 1881 1337 (nr.6.) (Daniel Franken 1881, “L'oeuvre gravé des van de Passe”, Paris); Hollstein 851 (nr.6.) (F W H Hollstein 1949, “Dutch and Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts c.1450-1700”, Amsterdam)

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Transitus; woman going to throw a globe on a wheel-barrow into a hole, from which flames are sprouting; a jester with another globe; with four lines below; plate to a collection of 33 plates by Crispijn de Passe I or from his work-shop.1599”

(http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1560295&partId=1&searchText=Crispijn+de+Passe+I+&page=1)

Condition: crisp, well-inked and well-printed impression (undoubtedly a lifetime impression based on the strength of the printed lines and the still visible guidelines for the lettered text) backed with a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet is in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, stains or foxing, but there is minor age toning and light handling marks).

I am selling this small and rare 17th century emblem print showing a woman and jester depositing globes of power into the flames as an allegory of the caducity of power for AU$220 in total (currently US$163.40/EUR139.26/GBP124.51 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this fascinating engraving from 1599 addressing the transitory nature of power, 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

To be very frank, I have not found any handy resources in my research of this print to speak confidently about the “true” allegorical meaning of what is signified. Nevertheless, I have no problem inventing what I believe is likely to be the expressed meaning of the image … but please be mindful that I may be VERY wrong.

The globe which the lady with the wheelbarrow is taking to what the British Museum advises is “a hole, from which flames are sprouting” (1873,0614.106) and the globe that the jester is rolling are traditional emblems of power. In the context of the portrayed landscape—everyday reality—I believe that the globes are cast as signifiers of worldly/temporal power. My reading of the destiny for these globes of everyday power is simply as a vanitas allegory: the futility of the pursuit of power.

A pair of William Unger’s self-portrait etchings, 1880/93

William Unger (aka Wilhelm Unger) (1837–1932)

Left image:

“Self-Portrait”, 1880, illustration to Philip Gilbert Hamerton’s (1834–1894) “Etching and Etchers” (1880 edition).

Etching on cream laid paper with margins (as published).

Size: (sheet) 29.2 x 21.4 cm; (plate) 20.4 x 12.7 cm

Condition: faultless impression with generous margins in near pristine condition (with an intrinsic—“naturally occurring”—thin spot in the laid paper towards the lower left centre).

The British Museum offers a description of this print:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3788547&partId=1&searchText=unger&page=1

Right image:

“Artist smoking the etching plate” (descriptive title only), c1892–94, in-text illustration to “Die vervielfältigende Kunst der Gegenwart” (volume 3?), trimmed without the text line: “Original-Radirung von W Unger.”

Etching with aquatint and roulette on wove paper trimmed within the platemark and backed on a support sheet.

Size: (re-margined support sheet) 29.8 x 24.5 cm; (sheet) 11.6 x 7.9 cm

Condition: crisp impression trimmed within the platemark and remargined with a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this pair of original etchings by William Unger for AU$200 (currently US$147.53/EUR126.49/GBP113.10 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 pair of self-portrait etchings by Unger, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

These prints have been sold

For those wondering about the portrayed technique of the artist adding a layer of soot to his etching plate so that he—I believe that this is a self-portrait of William Unger—will be able to see the gleam of copper through blackened etching ground when it is inscribed, I have extracted the following instructions by George T Plowman (1914) from his amazingly clear treatise, “Etching and Other Graphic Arts” (New York, John Lane Company):

“To smoke the plate use a bundle of twisted wax tapers. Let the plate get cold before smoking on account of the danger of burning the ground. In smoking, hold the plate face downward by the hand-vise high above the head Pass quickly backward and forward the lighted tapers. Be careful to smoke the edges. The centre will get enough smoke in covering the edges. Be very careful not to burn the ground either by stopping too long in one place or getting the taper too near the plate. The flame, but not the wick, should touch the ground. A little practise will enable the beginner to get a beautiful, dull back surface, like polished ebony, all over the plate. If you find any parts that are not smooth and are grey and shiny, the ground has been burned, and you must wash it all off with turpentine and begin again, since burned ground will not resist the acid.” (Plowman, pp. 89–90).