Stefano della Bella’s etching, “Hungarian horseman”, c1651

Stefano della Bella (1610–1664)

“Hungarian horseman”, c1651, from the series of eleven unnumbered round prints, “Figures on Horseback” (Cavaliers nègres, polonais et hongrois).

Etching on fine laid paper with uneven margins around the plate-mark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 19.3 x 18.8 cm; (plate) 19.1 x 18.3 cm; (image borderline dia.) 17.8 cm.

Inscribed on plate below the image borderline: (right) "S.D. Bella"

State i (of i)

De Vesme/Massar 1971 279 (A de Vesme, revised by Phyllis D Massar 1971, “Stefano della Bella, New York”, p. 87, cat. no. 279); Jombert (Della Bella) 175-10 (Charles Antoine.Jombert 1772, “Essai d'un catalogue de l'oeuvre d'Etienne de la Belle, peintre et graveur florentin”, Paris, p. 171, cat. no. 175-10)

“Hungarian horseman; seen from behind seated on a horse in profile to left, with a horseman behind on each side and two men on foot behind at centre; a round composition.”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1479147&partId=1&searchText=1871,0513.676&page=1)

See also the description of this print at the Rijksmuseum:

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.collect.76821

Condition: crisp, well-printed impression with a closed tear and minor abrasion at upper edge otherwise in very good condition (i.e. there are no holes, folds, stains or foxing). The sheet has been trimmed unevenly with slightly wider margins on the sides and thread margins at the top and bottom and it has been backed with a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this large(ish) masterwork of etching by Della Bella portraying a horseman twisting slightly in his saddle with—surprisingly—just the tip of his left boot in the stirrup as if halting his horse and—perhaps even more interesting—further away riders shown “out of focus” rendered with predominantly vertical strokes, for AU$397 (currently US$285.14/EUR250.01/GBP215.89 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 magnificent etching seldom seen on the market—and a print that even the Metropolitan Museum does not have in its collection despite having the other prints from the same series—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

Stefano della Bella’s etching, “Dark man with turban and spear on horseback”, c1651

Stefano della Bella (1610–1664)

“Dark man with turban and spear on horseback” (Rijksmuseum title), c1651, from the series of eleven unnumbered round prints, “Figures on Horseback” (Cavaliers nègres, polonais et hongrois). The Rijksmuseum advises that the “preliminary study is kept at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence (entry 7990 F)” (RP-P-OB-34,534).

Etching on fine laid paper with uneven margins around the plate-mark backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 18.8 x 18.8 cm; (plate) 18.1 x 18.2 cm; (image borderline dia.) 17.8 cm.

Inscribed on plate below the image borderline: (left) "S.D.Bella F."; (right) "Cum Priuil. Regis."

State i/ii? (of ii) This may be a first state impression before additional line work is added to the sky (compare with the BM’s second state impression [1871,0513.678]) but I have been unable to compare this print with a first state impression to verify this proposal.

De Vesme/Massar 1971 272.I (A de Vesme, revised by Phyllis D Massar 1971, “Stefano della Bella, New York”, p. 87, cat. no. 272); Jombert (Della Bella) 175-3 (Charles Antoine.Jombert 1772, “Essai d'un catalogue de l'oeuvre d'Etienne de la Belle, peintre et graveur florentin”, Paris, p. 171, cat. no. 175–3).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Black horseman riding towards right; wearing a tiger skin over his shoulders, with a Turkish man standing behind to left in front of a pyramid, and with a caravan travelling towards right with an elephant; a round composition.”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1478992&partId=1&searchText=Black+horseman+riding+towards+right&page=1)

See also the description of this print at the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/376279; and at the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.collect.76813   

Condition: crisp, well-printed impression in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, folds, holes, abrasions, stains or foxing), with uneven margins around the plate-mark and backed with a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this large(ish) masterwork of etching by Della Bella featuring subject matter that must have been a very exotic in France during the mid-1600s—a pyramid, an elephant and a Moorish horseman armed with a lance, bow and arrows—for AU$397 (currently US$281.94/EUR248.90/GBP215.47 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 stunning masterpiece—arguably one of Della Bella’s most famous etchings (in terms of how often it is reproduced)—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

Hans Brosamer’s engraving, “The Abduction of Helen”, 1540

Hans Brosamer (aka Hans Brosshamer; Hans Brösamer) (c1495–c1554)

“The Abduction of Helen” (“L’enlèvement d’Hélène” [Bartsch title]), 1540 (as inscribed on plate).

Engraving on laid paper trimmed along the plate-mark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 3.9 x 10.9 cm.

Inscribed on plate: (upper centre) "PARIS RAVBT / HELANUM / HB / 1540"

State i (of i)

TIB 17 (8).10 (460) (Robert A Koch 1981, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Early German Masters”, vol. 17, New York, Abaris Books, p. 33, cat. no. 10[460]); Hollstein 15 (German); New Hollstein 13 (German) (“The New Hollstein German Engravings, Etchings and Woodcuts 1400-1700”, Amsterdam, 1998, part I, p. 17, cat. no. 13).

See the description of this print at the Fitzwilliam Museum:

http://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/122179; and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/755764  

Condition: crisp and well-printed impression trimmed along the plate-mark and laid upon a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There is a restored tear at the upper left corner; otherwise the sheet is in good condition (i.e. there are no holes, folds, noteworthy abrasions or significant stains).

I am selling this jewel-like decorative panel exemplifying the artist’s skill when he worked in Fulda in 1540—the year that this print was executed—creating designs for a “Kunstbüchlein” (art book) of gold smiths’ work, for AU$384 (currently US$272.48/EUR240.13/GBP208.90 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 is exceedingly rare miniature engraving by one of the major German old masters, 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 Benedetto Castiglione’s etching, “Theseus Finds His Father’s Weapons”, c1645

Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione (1609–1664)

“Theseus Finds His Father’s Weapons” (TIB title), c1645, after (according to the Rijksmuseum but not noted by the BM) Nicloas Poussin (1594–1665), published by Giovanni Giacomo de' Rossi (1627–1691) in 1648.

Regarding the Rijksmuseum’s advice that this print is after Poussin, compare the composition of this print with the painting in the collection of the Musée Condé, Chantilly, “Theseus Finding His Father's Sword”, c1635, executed by Poussin in collaboration with Jean Lemaire: https://www.wga.hu/support/viewer_m/z.htm

Etching on laid paper trimmed along the plate-mark and backed on a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 31 x 20.6 cm; (image borderline) 30.2 x 20.1 cm.

Inscribed on plate below the image borderline: (left of centre) “GIO BENED. [to?] CASTILIONE In. P”; (right) “Jo Iac[…/] Rossi form[is] Romæ 1648 alla Pace”.

State ii (of iii) before the addition of lines to the background on the right of the pyramidal monument. (Note: compare the state ii impression held by the Rijksmuseum [RP-P-OB-12.167] with the state iii impression held by the British Museum [W,6.34].)

TIB 46 (21).24 (23) (Paolo Bellini 1982.”The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Masters of the Seventeenth Century”, vol. 46, New York, Abaris Books, p. 37, cat.nr. 24 [23]); Bartsch XXI.23.24; Bellini 13.II (Paolo Bellini 1982, “L'opera incisa di Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione”, Milan, Comune di Milano, p. 80, cat.nr. 13–2[3]).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(transl.) “The Greek hero Theseus, seen from behind, lifts the stone under which the arms of his father, King Aegeus, are hidden. His mother Aethra watches, next to her a boy with a torch.” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.34964)

See also the description of this print at the British Museum:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1447420&partId=1&searchText=Castiglione+Theseus&page=1

Note that the British Museum holds a monotype by Castiglione of the composition of this print in reverse:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1443221&partId=1&searchText=Castiglione+Theseus&page=1

Condition: crisp but slightly grey impression in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, folds, holes, stains, foxing or significant signs of use), trimmed along the plate-mark and backed with a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this large(ish) and exceptionally rare lifetime impression executed by the (arguable) first artist to make a monotype, for AU$730 (currently US$521.13/EUR458.60/GBP402.02 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 one of Castiglione’s major large prints that exemplifies perfectly his ability to render stone, windblown fabric and billowing smoke in a very convincing way using exceptionally sensitive strokes, 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

 

Stefano della Bella’s etching, “Ornament with bubble blowing putti”, c.1648

Stefano della Bella (1610–1664)

“Ornament with bubble blowing putti” (Rijksmuseum title), c.1648 (BM’s attribution of dates), from the series of twelve plates (including the title plate that I listed previously), “Ornamenti o grottesche” (Ornaments and grotesques), published 1650–56.

Etching on fine laid paper trimmed along the plate-mark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 16.6 x 6.5 cm

Inscribed with artist’s monogram on plate: (lower right corner) “SDB”.

De Vesme/Massar 1971 1008 (A de Vesme, revised by Phyllis D Massar 1971, “Stefano della Bella, New York”, p. 155, cat.nr. 1008); Jombert (Della Bella) 179 (Charles Antoine.Jombert 1772, “Essai d'un catalogue de l'oeuvre d'Etienne de la Belle, peintre et graveur florentin”, Paris, p. 173, cat.nr. 179); Orn Cat II 691 (Peter Fuhring; transl. from the Dutch by Jennifer Kilian and Katy Kist 2004, “Ornament prints in the Rijksmuseum II : the seventeenth century”, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum Sound and Vision, dl. 1, p. 144, cat.nr. 691).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Ornament panel with two putti blowing bubbles, a bat with its wings spread and a festoon of foliage below.”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1507588&partId=1&searchText=Ornamenti+o+grottesche&page=1)

See also the description of this print at the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/397830?searchField=All&sortBy=relevance&ft=Ornamenti+o+Grottesche&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=9; and at the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.collect.77498  

Condition: crisp impression in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, folds, holes, stains, foxing or signs of use), trimmed along the plate-mark and backed with a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this rare ornamental masterpiece by Della Bella for AU$220 (currently US$156.73/EUR137.91/GBP121.35 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 sensitively etched panel from the early 1600s, 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