Léon Mauduison’s engraving, “L'Étoile de la Mer”, c.1870, after Raphael

Léon Mauduison (fl.1848–1886)

“L'Étoile de la Mer” (The Star of the Sea), c.1870, after Raphael’s (aka Raffaello Santi) (1483–1520) painting in the collection of the Scottish National Gallery, “The Virgin and Child” (aka “The Bridgewater Madonna”), c1507, printed by Lemercier & Cie (fl.1827–1899) in Paris.

Engraving and etching on cream chine collé on heavy wove paper.

Size: (sheet) 43.1 x 31 cm; (plate) 32.1 x 22 cm; (chine collé) 26.6 x 19.4 cm; (image borderline) 15.6 x 11.5 cm.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “RAPHAEL PINXT.”; (Centre) “Imp. lemercier et Cie. Paris./ L’ÉTOILE DE LA MER.”; (right) “MAUDUISON SC.”

Condition: richly inked and well-printed, near faultless impression with wide margins in museum-quality/near pristine condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, losses, stains, foxing or signs of use).

I am selling this superb engraving of Raphael’s “The Bridgewater Madonna” in near pristine condition for AU$220 (currently US$143.18/EUR129.78/GBP111.66 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 small masterpiece of nineteenth century engraving, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Regarding Raphael’s painting translated into line and dot in this engraving, the Scottish National Gallery offers the following insight:

“Raphael made many drawings and paintings of the Virgin and Child, in part inspired by the work of Leonardo da Vinci in Florence. Here he achieved a particularly graceful combination of poses, with an elegant twist (contrapposto) in both. The exchange of glances further emphasises the tender relationship between the beautiful mother and child. Technical analysis has revealed that the artist originally painted a landscape background. Raphael may have decided that a dark setting was a better foil for the subtle modelling of his figures in light and shadow. The painting was probably made as a devotional image for a private chamber”

(https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/8675/virgin-and-child-bridgewater-madonna).

Stefano della Bella's two etchings of deer, 1641

Stefano della Bella (1610–1664)

Two etchings from the series, “Diversi Animali” (various animals):

(upper) “Plate 15: A Doe Facing to the Right” (Une biche dirigée vers la droite), 1641;

(lower) “Plate 16: A Deer Moving to the Left” (Un cerf allant à gauche), 1641

Etchings on fine laid paper with narrow margins around the platemark.

Lettered on the lower edge: (left) (upper plate) ”15”; (lower plate) ”16”; “Stef. della Bella fecit; (centre) “Cum privilegio”.

Size: (each sheet) 8.8 x 11.1 cm; (plate) 8.3 x 10.7 cm.

State iii (of iii)

De Vesme-Massard 704 and 705 (Alexandre de Vesme & Phyllis D. Massar 1971, “Stefano della Bella: Catalogue Raisonné”, New York, Collectors Edition, vol. 1, page 112; vol. 2, p. 134).

See the description of these prints at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Harvard Art Museums:

(upper plate) https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/377043;

https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/244725?position=9;

(lower plate) https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/377038;

https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/244167?position=10.

Condition: richly inked and well-printed impressions, with a narrow margin around the platemarks. The etching of a doe has a mark on its head (as if it has antlers) otherwise the sheets are in excellent condition for the age of the prints (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions or foxing).

I am selling this pair of etchings—lifetime impressions based on the crisp quality of line showing no sign of wear to the printing plates—by one of the famous of the old master printmakers, for AU$345 (currently US$225.48/EUR204.85/GBP175.18 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing these sensitively executed etchings, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Carlo Aspari's etching, “Antique Ornament with Snakes, Insects and Birds”, c. 1780, after Giocondo Albertolli

Carlo Aspari (aka Carlo Antonio Aspari; Carlo Aspar; Carlo Asparri) (before 1780–1834)

“Antique Ornament with Snakes, Insects and Birds”, c. 1780, after Giocondo Albertolli (1742–1839), plate 1 from the series of twenty-three plates (including the title plate), “Ornamenti Diversi”, published in 1782 by Giocondo Albertolli in Milan, page 2.

This book is available to view online or to download free-of-charge from archive.org which also offers detailed information about the publication:

https://archive.org/details/gri_33125008516102/page/n3/mode/2up.

See also the description of this print at Lombardia Beni Culturali:

http://www.lombardiabeniculturali.it/stampe/schede/CM010-00183/?view=autori&offset=2&hid=20355&sort=sort_int.

Etching on laid paper with wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 50.5 x 40.3 cm; (plate) 41.8 x 28.4 cm: (image borderline) 38.4 x 25.8 cm.

Numbered on plate above the image borderline: (left) “Tav. I.”

Lettered in Italian on plate below the image borderline: (left) “Gioc Albertolli dis”; (centre) “Il presente Ornato é preso dall’ antico, e sú inciso anche nel Cinquecentro, trovandosene ancora qualche coppie in alcune racolte d’ Italia” (The present Ornate is taken from the ancient, and also engraved in the Cinquecento, still finding some couples/matches in some collections of Italy); (right) “Aspar inc. in Milano”.

Condition: well-printed near faultless impression with generous margins. There are pale marks on the left margin and the outer edge of the sheet is slightly lighter in tone (possibly the print was once mounted and this area was protected from light), otherwise the sheet is in an excellent/museum-quality condition.

I am selling this large and magnificent etching featuring around a central acanthus leaf ornament, an eagle and snake in a heightened state of excitement in looking at each other, two snails, two grasshoppers, two insects, two birds—one of which is eating an insect while the other is contemplating having a grasshopper snack—and a nest full of three birds which I assume are eaglets as they seem intently interested in what the large eagle is doing, for AU$386 (currently US$253.14/EUR231.87/GBP195.80 at the time of posting this print) 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 large and amazing masterwork of 18^th century Italian ornament, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Johannes Visscher's etching, “Sleeping Shepherd and Shepherdess by a Tree”, c.1675, after Nicolaes Berchem

Johannes Visscher (aka Jan de Visscher) (1636–after1692)

“Sleeping Shepherd and Shepherdess by a Tree” (aka “Sleeping Herd and Woman at the Foot of a Tree” [Hollstein’s title]) c.1675 (1643–1706), after the design by the intermediary draughtsman, Nicolaes Berchem (aka Nicolaes Pietersz. Berchem; Nicolaes Berchen; Niclas Berghem; Claes Berighem; Nicolaes Pietersz. Berrighem) (1621/22–1683), published by Frederik de Wit (1629/30 - 1706) in Amsterdam. Note that there is a significant loss to the right side of the image.

Etching and engraving on laid paper trimmed significantly within the image borderline on the right and with a narrow border around the borderline on the remaining sides with loss of the writing edge, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 35 x 35.5 cm.

State ii? (of iv) I have attributed this impression to state ii as there is the smallest remnants of the upper ascenders of text on the lower left signifying this state. The strength of the line also suggests an early impression. I am unable to clarify if this impression is from a later state as the address of Visscher (state iii) or the erasure of this address (state iv) has been trimmed off.

Hollstein Dutch 46–2(4) (Christiaan Schuckman [comp.] 1992, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: Johannes (de) Visscher to Robert van Voerst”, vol. 41 [XLI), Roosendaal, Koninklijke Van Poll, p. 38, cat. no. 46); Wessely 78; Nagler 37; Le Blanc 72; De Winter 60.

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(transl.) “While two cows, a sheep and a donkey drink from shallow water, a shepherd and a shepherdess are napping under a tree”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.515192).

Condition: richly inked and well-printed strong impression trimmed well within the right margin (i.e. there is a significant loss to this side) and with loss of the writing line. Beyond a faint stain in the uppermost cloud, the sheet is in very good condition and is laid upon a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this strong etching (with engraving) with a large loss to the right side of the image for AU$233 in total (currently US$153.56/EUR141.16/GBP118.15 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 17^th century rural scene featuring a shepherd dozing beside his lunch basket—a sure sign of postprandial somnolence—and his lady companion who reads while their flock water themselves at a ford, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Taki Katei's book of twelve woodbock prints, "Tansi Ippian", vol. 2, 1894

Taki Katei (瀧和亭)(1830– 1901)

Luparello (Orihon) bound book (i.e. the pages are folded vertically and attached an accordion/concertina  manner) of twelve double-spread woodcut pages (26 x 32.8 cm), “Tansei Ippan” (丹青弌斑) (The Order of Colours), Book 2 (of 5 volumes), 1894, published by Yoshikawa Hanshichi (fl. 1891–1905) in Tokyo.

The Smithsonian Library through the website, Archive.org, offers an online view of the first and second book in this set of five volumes:

(vol. 1) https://archive.org/details/tanseiippanv1taki/page/n16/mode/2up

(vol. 2) https://archive.org/details/tanseiippanv2taki/page/19/mode/2up.

Note that there is currently the exhibition, Drawing on Nature: Taki Katei's Japan” (04 Oct 2019—13 Apr 2020) at the World Museum (Liverpool): https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatson/world-museum/exhibition/drawing-nature-taki-kateis-japan.

Condition: strong early impressions (based on there being no sign of wear to the printing plates). The pages are in good condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, handling folds, abrasions, significant stains—but there are a few marks nevertheless—or foxing). The ends of the book need regluing but I would rather leave any restoration to a professional book binder familiar with early Japanese books.

I am selling this rare and exquisite volume of 12 double-spread lifetime woodblock prints by one of Japan’s most celebrated artists—at least the highest-paid painter in 1888 at the imperial palace (six years before the publication of these prints)—for the total price of AU$640 for the complete book (currently US$423.63/EUR390.17/GBP327.33 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 amazing book seldom seen on the market, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This book has been sold

(Note that there are more woodblock prints in this publication than those shown here)