Lucas Vorsterman I (aka Aemilius Lucas Vorsterman) (1595–1675)
“Carolus de
Mallery”, 1630–1645, from the series after Anthony
Van Dyck (1599–1641), “Icones Principum Virorum” (aka “'Icones Principum
Virorum Doctorum Pictorum Chalcographorum Statuariorum nec non amatorum
pictoriae artis numero centum ab Antonio Van Dyck Pictore ad vivum expressae,
eiusq[ue] sumptibus aeri incisae”), published in the Hendrick and Cornelis
Verdussen (Antwerp) edition of 1720.
Engraving on
fine laid paper with full margins as published
Size: (sheet
trimmed unevenly) 36.8 x 25.2cm; (plate) 24.2 x 15.7 cm; (image borderline)
21.9 x 15.2 cm
Lettered below
the image borderline: (lower left) "Ant. van Dyck pinxcit / LVorsterman Sculp”;
(centre) "CAROLVS DE MALLERY / CALCOGRAPHVS ANTVERPIÆ."; (lower
right) "Cum priuilegio."
State vii (Note: the mount into which this
print was once displayed has a pencil inscribed notation that this impression is
from the Hendrick and Cornelis Verdussen (Antwerp) edition published in 1720.)
Hollstein 179
(Vorsterman); New Hollstein (Dutch & Flemish) 73.VII (Van Dyck); Mauquoy-Hendrickx
1991 86.VII (Marie Mauquoy-Hendrickx 1991, “L'Iconographie d'Antoine Van Dyck,
Catalogue raisonné”, 2 vols, Brussels, Bibliotheque Royale Albert Ier)
Condition: rare,
superbly crisp, and well-printed impression with full margins as published in
excellent condition for its age (i.e. there is slight age-toning at the edges
of the sheet, but there are no tears, folds, holes, abrasions, significant stains
or foxing). There is a collector’s reference note in pencil (lower left recto),
remnants of mounting hinges and a collector’s ink stamp (verso).
I am selling
this exceptionally rare engraving by one of the most important printmakers of
the 17th century for AU$198 (currently US$150.01/EUR127.19/GBP113.52
the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in
the world.
If you are
interested in purchasing this key print from one of the greatest—or at least the
most historically significant—series of portraits ever engraved, please contact
me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to
make the payment easy.
The British
Museum offers the following description of this print from the slightly later Arkstée
& Merkus (fl.1750–1759) edition:
“Portrait of
Carel van Mallery, half-length in front of a broken column base, turned
slightly to left, with mid-length hair, a moustache and beard, wearing a ruff
and cuffs, doublet and cloak covering the right side of his torso, his left
hand grasping the cloak at the level of his chest; seventh state with initials
of Gillis Hendricx burnished; after Anthony van Dyck; from a 1759 bound edition
containing a series of 125 portraits, mainly of Van Dyck's Iconography (Arkstée
& Merkus: Amsterdam and Leipzig)”
Note: The BM
also holds another state vii impression (see BM no. 1863,0509.913) featuring the
number “95” inscribed by hand in ink at the upper right corner, which most
likely indicates the position of this print in the 1759 edition of 125
portraits.
The curator of
the BM offers the following background information concerning this print:
“The
copper-plate is kept in the Chalcographie, Musée du Louvre, inv.no.2344. The
portrait is based on Van Dyck's grisaille, now kept in the collection of the
Duke of Buccleuch, Boughton House, inv.no.199, see S. Barnes, N. de Poorter, O.
Millar and H. Vey, 'Van Dyck: A Complete Catalogue of the Paintings', Yale
& London, 2004, cat.no.III.157. See also Van Dyck's fully worked up
portrait of the sitter, now kept in the Nasjonalgalleriet, Oslo, inv.no.3201,
ibid., cat.no.III.104, with the angle of the head adjusted, and without a ruff.
A preparatory drawing is in the collection of the Duke of Devonshire at
Chatsworth, inv.no.1001, (Vey 277). An unfinished proof by Vorsterman is in the
Fondation Custodia, Paris, inv. no. 6334.” (see BM no. R,1a.175)
The curator of
the British Museum offers the following insight regarding the series, “Icones
Principum Virorum”, of which this print is a part:
"Following the
success of his portrait paintings and in the tradition of Italian and Flemish
portrait series, Van Dyck decided to organise a print publication containing
portraits of the most prominent men during his lifetime, divided into three
categories: princes, politicians and soldiers (16), statesmen and scholars
(12), artists and art connoisseurs (52). The initial idea could have been that
Van Dyck would etch the faces (a process possibly learnt from Vorsterman) while
others would finish the plates in engraving. Designs were needed for the plates
and several drawings and oil sketches (grisailles, sometimes in different
versions) have survived. Van Dyck only etched 17 plates himself, while he
commissioned others to complete the set, overseen by Lucas Vorsterman I
(especially after Van Dyck settled in England in the Spring of 1632)” (http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1422752&partId=1&people=101862&peoA=101862-1-6&page=10
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