Johann Wilhelm Baur, “Boreas' Abduction of Orithyia”, 1641

Johann Wilhelm Baur (aka Johann Wilhelm Bauer; Joan Guiliam Bouwer) (1607–1642)

“Boreas' Abduction of Orithyia”, 1641, plate 61 from the series of 148 illustrations to Ovid’s (43–17/18 BC) “Metamorphoses”, initially published in 1641 before the lines of Latin text were added in “Des vortrefflichen Römischen poëtens Publii Ovidii Nasonis Metamorphoseon, oder, funffzehen Bücher der Verwandlungen”. This impression is from the 1709 edition published by Pet. Detleffsen (and Jer. Wolff?) in Augsburg with the Latin text.

Note that Baur etched another plate with minor variations of the same composition, but in the reverse direction, published in 1639 in Vienna(?) as plate 61 to “Des vortrefflichen Römischen poëtens Publii Ovidii Nasonis Metamorphoseon, oder, funffzehen Bücher der Verwandlungen” (see https://archive.org/details/desvortreffliche00baur/page/n117/mode/2up).

Note also that Abraham Aubry (fl. c1650) made etchings in reverse of Bauer’s designs published by Paulus Fürst (1608–1666) in Nuremberg in 1688.

Etching on fine laid paper with a small margin around the platemark and backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 17.1 x 24 cm; (plate [soft]) 13.3 x 20.9 cm; (image borderline) 12.7 x 20.7 cm.

Numbered and lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Wil: Baur.” (centre in two columns of two lines) “Orithyian amans Boreas & stemmate claram,/ Et specie insignem per sua regna vehit.// Hanc illi genitor bis terq[ue] negarat Erechtheus,/ Nunc ferus ereptam vendicat ipse sibi.” ([trans] Boreas, loving Orithyian, both bright in lineage and distinguished in appearance, carries her through his kingdom. Her father, Erechtheus, had denied her twice and thrice, Now the wild beast claims her for himself.); (right) “lib: 6.  61.”

State ii (of ii) with the addition of Latin text below the image borderline.

Bonnefoit R.185 (Régine Bonnefoit 1997, “Johann Wilhelm Baur (1607–1642). Ein Wegbereiter der barocken Kunst in Deutschland”, Tübingen, Ernst Wasmuth, cat. no. R 180); Hollstein 12.

See also Daniel Kinney’s marvellous documentation regarding Baurer’s series: https://ovid.lib.virginia.edu/tempestabaurnew.html.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print from its first state: “Plate 61: Boreas' Abduction of Orithyia; in the centre, Boreas, the north wind, with wings on his back and feet, carries Orithyia in the sky; Boreas looks toward Orithyia; she looks away from him; the two figures are surrounded by billowing clouds; below at left, the sea, figures, building and ships depicted in miniature; mountains beyond. 1641
Etching” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_2AA-a-31-61).   

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression with a small margin (approx. 1.5 cm) around the platemark. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains and is laid upon a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins.

I am selling this superb etching from 1641, showing Perseus about to behead the Medusa, for AU$232 in total (currently/approximately US $145.55/ EUR 140.92/ GBP117.33 at the time of posting this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU $232) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this dramatic scene from Ovid’s “Metamorphoses”, 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