Jan Sadeler I’s engraving, “Children of Mercury (Wednesday)”, 1585

Jan Sadeler I (aka Johannes Sadeler; Johann Sadeler) (1550–1600)

“Children of Mercury (Wednesday)” (TIB title), 1585, after a lost drawing by Maarten de Vos (1532–1603), from the series of eight plates, “Planetarum effectus et eorum in signis zodiaci” (Effect of the planets and zodiac signs) (aka “The Seven Planets”), engraved and published by Jan Sadeler I.

Engraving on fine laid paper trimmed close to the image borderline.

(sheet) 21.2 x 24.2 cm

Titled in top centre on the rainbow: " MERCVRIVS"; above, to the left: the zodiac symbols for Libra; to the right: the zodiac symbols for Virgo.

Lettered within the image borderline: (lower right) “Ioan. Sadler scalp. et excud."and “M. de Vos figurauit."

TIB 2003 70 Part 3 (Supplement) 7001.480 (pp. 76–77); Nagler 1835–52, no. 167; Le Blanc, no. 173; Wurzbach, no. 140; Hollstein 1980, vo. 21, no. 523; Edquist, p. 97, no. 113b; Hollstein 1995–96, vol. 44, no. 1386.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Mercury holding a caduceus and riding in a chariot drawn by two birds on the clouds in the sky, an extensive landscape with a harbour with goods being loaded and unloaded below; zodiac signs of Gemini and Virgo in ovals in top corners … after Maarten de Vos. 1585” (http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1550333&partId=1&searchText=Planetarum+effectus+et+eorum+in+signis+zodiaci&page=1)

“The Illustrated Bartsch” offers the following description of this print:

“Helmeted Mercury rides a chariot pulled toward the left by two pigeons” (TIB 2003 70 Part 3 [Supplement], p. 77)

Condition: crisp and well-printed impression trimmed to thread margins around the image borderline. The sheet is in excellent condition apart from a small tear at the middle of the lower edge.

I am selling this rare and beautiful engraving for AU$332 (currently US$264.58/EUR226.06/GBP202.29 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this important print—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