Gerard van der Gucht’s etching, “Hercules defeating Geryones”, c1730

Gerard van der Gucht (aka Gerard Vandergucht) (1696–1776)

“Hercules defeating Geryones” (aka “Hercules Slaying Geryones, the Keeper of the Oxen”; “Geryone extincto decimam dat Iberia palmam”), c1730 (1725–1732), plate 10 from the series of 12 plates, “The Twelve Labours of Hercules” (aka “De twaalf werken van Hercules”).

The Curator of the British Museum offers the following insights about the series (“The Twelve Labours of Hercules”) of which this print is a part:

“… the first six [plates] were designed and begun by Chéron and finished by Vandergucht, Bernard Picart or Claude Du Bosc, the second six designed and engraved by Vandergucht alone. A subscription ticket to the set is dated 1732 […] suggesting that the series was begun by Chéron shortly before his sudden death from an apoplexy in 1725, and that Vandergucht completed added a further six prints in 1732 or shortly afterwards” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1859-0709-661).

Etching with engraving on laid paper trimmed with a small margin around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 31.4 x 24.4 cm; (image borderline) 29 x 23.5 cm.

Inscribed in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Ger; Vander Gucht Inv; et Sculp.”; (centre) “Geryone extincto decimam dat Iberia palmam.”

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Hercules defeating Geryon, standing with club raised on the left and bending over the body of his opponent, while the latter tries to push him away with one foot” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1859-0709-670).

See also the description offered by Harvard Art Museums: https://hvrd.art/o/244039.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression trimmed slightly within the platemark with clipped lower corners and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper.

I am selling this dramatic scene of Hercules attempting to kill Geryones, the three-headed grandson of Medusa—note that Geryones’ three heads are almost superimposed in a stack from the angle we view this scene and Hercules will only succeed in his mission when Geryones is finally shot with an arrow dipped in the Lernaen Hydra’s blood upon which Geryon will bend his neck to one side (according to Denys Page’s translation of the poet, Stesichorus) “like a poppy that spoils its delicate shapes, shedding its petals all at once"—for AU$252 (currently US$188.72/EUR158.85/GBP135.75 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 illustration of a mythological fight—note how the artist has cropped the scene so that the figures’ weapons are not fully visible suggesting that the viewer is close to the “action” to heighten the effect of conflict—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 

Domenico Cunego’s engraving, “Ozias", c1803, after Michelangelo

Domenico Cunego (1727­–1803)

“Ozias", c1803, plate 3 in the series of 8 plates after Michelangelo’s (1475–1564) lunettes in the Sistine Chapel, after an intermediary drawing by Vincenzo Dolcibeni (aka Vincentius Dolcibene) (fl.1782–1807), published in Rome by Montagnani-Mirabili (aka Pietro Paolo Montagnani-Mirabili) (fl. 1785–1834) before publication in c1805 with the later addition of the plate number (“III”) and publication details for the Calcografia Romana (1738–1870), Rome.

Engraving on heavy laid paper trimmed within the platemark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 38.9 x 52.6 cm; (image borderline) 35.3 x 49.8 cm.

Lettered in plate within the image borderline: (upper left) “MICHAEL ANGELVS/ BONAROTIVS/ PINXIT”;  (upper right) “IN SIXTINO/ VATICANO/ SACELLO”; (lower centre) “OZIAS”.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Vincentius Dolcibene del.”; (centre) “PIO SEPTIMO PONT. OPT. MAX./  Venit Romae apud Montagnani-Mirabili ad Forum Pasquini"; (right) “Dom. Cunego sculp. Romae/ PETRVS PAVLVS MONTAGNANI-MIRABILI D.D.D.”

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Ozias, after the fresco by Michelangelo in a lunette of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1873-1213-271).

See also the description of this print offered by BeWeB–Ecclesiastical Heritage: https://www.beweb.chiesacattolica.it/benistorici/bene/6487461/.

Condition: a strong impression in excellent condition with no stains or foxing, trimmed within the platemark and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper.

I am selling this huge engraving for AU$257 (currently US$192.47/EUR162/GBP138.45 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 of Michelangelo’s fresco lunette showing the boy who will ultimately rule Judah until his sad demise when the Lord in anger struck him dead for what I understand was the irreverent act of touching the Ark of the Covenant in order to steady it during transportation after an oxen stumbled (2 Samuel 6), 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

(Attrib.) Adriaen Collaert’s engraving, “The Emperor Commodus Killing a Leopard”, c1596, after Jan van der Straet

(Attrib.) Adriaen Collaert (c1560-1618)

“The Emperor Commodus Killing a Leopard” (aka “Keizer Commodus doodt een luipaard met een pijl” [Emperor Commodus kills a leopard with an arrow]), c1596, plate 14 from the series of 104 engravings, “Hunting Parties” (aka “Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium” (transl. “With wild beasts, birds, fish”), after Jan van der Straet (aka Joannes Stradanus; Ioannes Stradanus) (1523–1605), initially published in Antwerp by Philips Galle (1537–1612) and later by Philips' grandson, Joannes Galle (aka Ioan Galle and Jan Galle) (1600–1676).

Archive.org offers an online view the publication, “Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium”, before the numbering of this engraving: https://archive.org/details/printboeck00stra/page/n89/mode/2up.

Note: the first edition of “Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium” published by Galle comprised 43 unnumbered plates all engraved by Galle with a dedication page to Cosimo de Medici. After this edition the series was expanded to 104 plates engraved by A. Collaert, J. Collaert, C. Galle I and C. de Mallery with a dedication page to the jurist Henricus van Osthoorn en Sonnevelt (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1957-0413-37 and A. Baroni and M. Sellink, “Stradanus 1523-1605: Court artist of the Medici”, exh. cat. Groeningemuseum Brugge 2008–09, Turnhout, 2012, pp. 245–58, cat. nos. 32–49).

Engraving on fine laid paper trimmed with a narrow margin around the borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 20.3 x 27.4 cm; (image borderline) 20 x 27.1 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline along lower edge: (centre) “Ioan Stradanus inuent.”; (right of centre) “Ioan Galle excud.”

Numbered and lettered in plate in two columns of two lines below the image borderline: (left) “14.”; (centre) “Pensilis è cauea Tigris rabiosa theatri/ Erumpit vinclis, hominiq[ue] occurrit inermi,// Quem ne dilaceret fera bellua, Commodus arcu/ Impedit, atq[ue] feræ iacit in præcordia telum.”

State: iii (of iii)  with the address of Joannes (Ioan) Galle 

New Hollstein (Dutch & Flemish) 513.II (Marjolein Leesberg [comp.] 2008, “The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: Johannes Stradanus”, vol. 3, Amsterdam, Sound and Vision Rijksmuseum, p.193; p.224 [fig.], cat. no. 513); Baroni Vannucci 693.14 (Alessandra Baroni Vannucci 1997, “Jan van der Straet, detto Giovanni Stradano, flandrus pictor et inventor”, Milan, Jandi Sapi Editori).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Plate 14, The Emperor Commodus Killing a Leopard; at centre, a leopard leaps from its cage towards a male figure in a stadium; at the upper left, the Emperor Commodus fires an arrow at the leopard from the balcony; to left and right, spectators look on” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1957-0413-50).

See also the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.97378.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression with narrow margins around the borderline and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. Beyond small chips to the corners, the sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing.

I am selling this exceptionally rare, engraving from the late 1500s for the total cost of AU$307 (currently US$228.39/EUR192.94/GBP165.78 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 glimpse into Roman life at the time when Emperor Commodus’ megalomania had led to statues being erected portraying him as Hercules and—perhaps more worrying—had Rome renamed, "Colonia Commodiana”, before he met his demise with the poisoning hand of his favourite concubine, Marcia, and the strangling hands of a young athlete, 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 

Félix Bracquemond’s etching, “Les Cigognes”, 1867

Félix Bracquemond (aka Joseph Auguste Félix Bracquemond) (1833–1914)

“Les Cigognes” (The Storks), 1867, printed by Auguste Delâtre (aka Auguste Marie Delâtre) (1822–1907) and published in 1867 in Paris by Cadart & Luquet (fl.1863–1867) for the Société des Aquafortistes as plate 271 to the fifth volume of prints in “Eaux-Fortes Modernes.” Gallica – BnF offers an online view of all the prints (including this etching) featured in this volume: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8470016v.

Etching with plate tone on fine wove paper with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 50 x 32 cm; (plate) 24.8 x 18.6 cm; (image borderline) 17.5 x 13.5 cm.

Numbered in plate above the image borderline: (right) “225.”

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Bracquemond sculp.”; (centre) “LES CIGOGNES/ Paris, Publié par CADART & LUQUET, Editeurs, 79, Rue Richelieu”; (right) “Imp. Delâtre, Rue St. Jacques, 303, Paris.”

State ii (of ii/iii) with the addition of publication details. Note that there must be a third state where the publication details are erased (see reference to the Beraldi catalogue cited by the MET: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/395760, but the 1885 edition of Beraldi that I consulted does show this third state).

Beraldi 179 ii (Henri Béraldi 1885, “Les Graveurs du XIXe Siècle: Guide de l'Amateur d'Estampes Modernes: Guérin–Lacoste”, vol. VIII, Paris, Librairie L. Conquet, p. 69, cat. no. 179 ii [https://archive.org/details/lesgraveursdu19e03berauoft/page/68/mode/2up]); IFF 176 (Jean Adhémar, Jacques Lethève 1954, “Inventaire du Fonds Francais Apres 1800”, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, cat. no. 176, p. 369).

Beraldi (1885) points out that this plate was designed to be a continuation of a series of plates featuring the Magpie, the Raven and the Duck (Beraldi nos. 113, 115 and 116). By intention, the series represents (in translation) “amateurs browsing the quay” (p. 69). Although there no mention is made regrading what the storks “as amateurs” might characterise, Beralsi advises that the magpie represents “criticism”, the raven, “the people of the law” and the duck, “journalism.”

Te Papa Tongarewa (Museum of New Zealand) offers the following insights about this print:

“Les Cigognes (The storks) depicts three storks standing on a (probably Parisian) quay. The foreground stork, while ornithologically accurate, hints unmistakably at an anthropomorphic caricature. It is plate 271 in the fifth and final volume of prints, Eaux-Fortes Modernes, produced by the Société des Aquafortistes (Society of Etchers) in 1863-67. Five volumes and 300 plates all up were published; the collection marks the advent of the etching revival in France” (https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/40165).

Condition: a richly inked, strong and well-printed impression with full margins (as published). The sheet is in an excellent condition (near pristine) with no tears, holes, folds, stains or foxing.

I am selling this graphically striking and important print by Bracquemond—note the strong influence the Kacho-ga (“images of flowers and birds”) genre of Japanese prints in this etching that helped to initiate the blooming of the style termed, Japonisme—for the total cost of AU$355 (currently US$263.94/EUR223.35/GBP191.53 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 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 

Adolphe Appian’s etching, “Une Moria à Bordiquier (Italie)”, 1873

Adolphe Appian (1818–1898)

“Une Moria à Bordiquier (Italie)” (as titled in the plate—but Jennings [1925] changes the second word “Moria” to the more appropriate word, “Noria”, in his catalogue of Appian’s etchings) (aka “A Water Wheel in Bordighera [Italy]”; “Environs de Bordigaera, Dans le Var”; “Environs de Nice”), 1873, printed and published in Paris by Alfred Cadart (1828–1875) for Une Société de Peintres-Graveurs a L'Eau-Forte as Plate 225  in “L'Illustration Nouvelle, yr. & vol., 6, 1874. Gallica – BnF offers an online view of all the prints (including this etching) featured in this publication: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8527601h; https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8527601h/f4.item.

Interestingly, in his catalogue raisonné for Appian’s prints, Jennings (1925) proposes a possible motivation for Appian's curious use of multiple titles for his artworks: “Such vagaries were perhaps due to thoughtlessness, but more probably the intention was to “dépister” [outwit] those who sought to identify his motifs” (p. 110).

Etching with plate tone on fine laid paper (watermarked) with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 31.1 x 48.8 cm; (plate) 23.8 x 31.6 cm; (image borderline) 19.6 x 28.4 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (upper left corner) “Appian. 1873”.

Numbered in plate above the image borderline: (right) “225.”

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “A.Appian,del. et sc.”; (centre) “UNE MORIA À BORDIQUIER (Italie)”; (right) “A.Cadart,Edit.Imp.Ruw Nve,Mathurins,58,Paris.”

State ii (of iv) with the addition of the title and publication details for Cadart and before the reduction of the plate size of state iii and the addition of publication details for the Keppel edition of state iv.

Curtis & Prouté 37ii (Atherton Cutiis & Paul Prouté 1968, “Adolphe Appian son Oeuvre Gravé et Lithographié”, Paris, Paul Prouté, cat. no. 37 ii); Jennings 33 (Herbert H Jennings 1925, Adolphe Appian (essay) in “Print Collector’s Quarterly,” vol. 12, no. 1, p. 115, cat. no. 33 [see https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/print_collectors_quarterly1925/0134/scroll]).

Condition: a richly inked, strong and well-printed impression with full margins (as published). There is a 2 cm tear in the right margin, otherwise there are no holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing.

I am selling this remarkably luminous impression for the total cost of AU$315 (currently US$238.92/EUR200.96/GBP172.06 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 etching executed by an artist with a strong personal vision and close connection with the Barbizon School 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