Aegidius Sadeler II’s engraving, “Johann Georg Godelman,” c1615

Aegidius Sadeler II (aka Egidius Sadeler; Gillis Sadeler; Gillis Sadler; Ægedius Sadeler) (1570–c1629)

“Johann Georg Godelman” (aka “Iohan. Georg. Gődelman”), c1615 (1600–1629), after a lost drawing by Aegidius Sadeler II with four lines of Latin verse (in lower cartouche) by Johannes Nienborg (1573–1639), published in Prague.

Engraving with etching on laid paper trimmed with a thread margin around the image borderline.

Size: (sheet) 17 x 14.7 cm.

Inscribed on plate: (upper banderole) “In vita et morte es tu mea Christe salus.”; (centre oval frame) “IOHAN. GEORG. GŐDELMAN IC. COMES PALATINVS ET AVLÆ ELECT. SAXO: CONSILIARIVS.”; (within the oval frame to the left) “ÆTATIS XLII”; (lower left corner) “De Facie Faciem/ expressit Egidius/ Sadeler Pragæ.”; (lower cartouche)” Hæc Godelmanni viua est Doctoris imago,/ Quem pietas celebrem mens humilisq[ue] facit./ Ius dat cuiq[ue] suum: bene’ viuit: nec nocet ulli./ Illum SAXONICO cum DVCE CÆSAR amat.// Ioannes/ Niemberg P.L.”

State ii (of iii) with the addition of “Pragæ” after the engraver’s name but before state iii when the plate was cut to show only the oval of the portrait.

TIB 7201.300 S2 (Isabelle de Ramaix 1998, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Æidius Sadeler II,” vol. 72, Part 2 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 119, cat. no. [7201].300 S2); Hollstein 1980 293 II (3); Nagler 1835–52 46; Le Blanc 106; Wurzbach 133.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Portrait of Johann Georg Gödelmann; bust-length, directed to right, glancing towards left; wearing ruff, fur coat, doublet and chains; in ornamental oval frame, surmounted by ribbon, flanked by pelican feeding young and roaring lion; below, cartouche, snake, and skull surrounded by three bent stalks of wheat. Engraving”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1877-0609-2031).

See also the description offered by the Rijksmuseum:

(Transl.) “Johann Georg Gödelmann at the age of 42, a German lawyer and author of tracts against witchcraft. In the corners of the portrait a pelican, a lion, a snake and a skull. The print has a Latin inscription on a banderole and a Latin inscription in a cartouche”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.168001).

Condition: a near faultless impression, trimmed with a thread margin around the image borderline and in an excellent/museum-quality condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this remarkably fine impression showing the professor of law—Johann Georg Godelman (1559–1611)—surrounded by what I read as symbols of his attributes, namely:

- the virtue of atonement, symbolised by the pelican pecking its breast to feed its young with its own blood

- the virtues of majesty, strength, justice and courage, symbolised by the roaring salient lion

and recognition of transience of life:

- the ephemeral nature of life symbolised by the skull

- the knotted snake, symbolising eternal cyclic renewal

for the total cost of AU$468 (currently US$335.15/EUR283.22/GBP255.99 at the time of 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.

If you are interested in purchasing this superb engraving of the highest quality, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.