Antonio Tempesta’s etching “Capras Canis Capra Canina”, c1620

Antonio Tempesta (1555?–1630)

“Capras Canis Capra Canina”, 1565–1630/50, published in the second edition (as signified by the inscribed plate number, “146”, at the lower-right corner) by Giovanni Giacomo De Rossi (1627–91) in the series, “Nova raccolta de li animali piu curiosi del mondo” (Transl. “New Collection of the Most Curious Animals in the World’) (1650).

Etching on laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 18.5 x 23 cm; (plate) 9.8 x 13/9 cm

Lettered in the plate below the image borderline: “Capras Canis Capra Canina 146”

State ii (of ii)

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

“A creature of half dog and half goat in a landscape. In the background a two-legged donkey. … This image is part of a series of animal prints by Antonio Tempesta. It is known that a second state (with numbering) of this series has been published by Giovanni Giacomo de 'Rossi in 1650. It is unknown who gave the first state and when.” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.184331)

See also the brief description of the print at the CalcoGrafica which also offers a view of the original copper plate: http://calcografica.ing.beniculturali.it/index.php?page=default&id=6&lang=en&item_id=60966&schemaType=S&schemaVersion=2.00

Condition: a faultless impression in pristine condition with generous margins. 

(Note: this print would have been paired with “Alces Alce”, another animal from the world of fantasy. Unfortunately a past collector has separated both prints. For those interested in seeing both etchings—the horns of the deer in “Alces Alce” are amazing!—Antiquarius has them as originally published on same page: http://www.antiquarius-sb.com/Details_m.asp?ID=3173) 

I am selling this rare pint of a very curious animal that is half dog and half goat having a wonderful time leaping around while being watched by a two-headed, six legged donkey for the total cost of AU$145 (currently US$114.91/EUR98.06/GBP89.23 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this wonderfully bizarre 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