Jan Luyken’s etching, “The Conversion of St Paul”, 1708

Jan Luyken (aka Johannes Luyken; Jan Luijken) (1649–1712)

“The Conversion of St Paul” (aka “La Conversion de Saint Paul”; “Paulus Bekeering” [titles inscribed in French and Dutch on plate]; “St. Paul on Road to Damascus”), 1708, plate 58 from a series of sixty-two Old and New Testament biblical prints first published by Pieter Mortier (1661–1711) in 1708. This impression is from either the 1729 or the 1743 edition published by Jan Covens (1697–1774) and Corneille Mortier (fl.1688–c1743) in “Biblia Sacra, dat is, de H. Schriftuer van het Oude, en het Nieuwe Testament, naer de laetste Roomsche keure der gemeine Latijnsche overzettinge, in nederduitsch vertaeld (...)”. (Note that this information is based on another dealer’s description selling the same print from the later 1743 edition: https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/wall-decorations/prints/antique-bible-print-conversion-paul-j-luyken-1743/id-f_9329201/.)

Etching on fine laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 36.1 x 49.5 cm; (plate) 34.2 x 44.2 cm; (image borderline) 32.8 x 43.3 cm

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “Edit. à J. Covens et C. Mortier.”; (left of centre) “Paulus Bekeering. Handeling: IX.v: 4.”; (right of centre) “La Conversion de Saint Paul. Actes [sic] IX. vs: 4.”; (right) “Johannes Luyken Inv. et Fecit./ 58.”

State ii (of ii) with the change of publisher from Pieter Mortier I to his son, Corneille Mortier and Corneille’s brother-in-law, Jan Covens, and the erasure of the privilege. Lifetime/early impression (based on the crisp quality of the lines showing no sign of wear to the printing plate).

Van Eeghen 3740 (Pieter van Eeghen & Johan Philip van der Kellen 1905, “Het werk van Jan en Casper Luyken”, Amsterdam, Frederik Muller & Co., vol. 2, p. 665, cat. no. 3740).

This publication is available for online viewing or free download at archive.org (note that the page numbering is challenging and the URLs below are helpful):

https://archive.org/details/gri_33125001866108/page/n295/mode/2up (see cat. no. 3740).

Condition: richly inked and well-printed, near faultless impression with the centre-fold of publication flattened. The sheet in near pristine/museum quality condition with no tears, holes, losses, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this museum-quality etching in an exceptionally fine state of preservation for AU$281 (currently US$204.42/EUR172.32/GBP159.12 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 spectacular etching portraying an unworldly blinding light—note how Luyken convincingly suggests a blazing spiritual light by strong tonal contrast and by contrast between the mechanically straight lines of the shafts of light with the organic curves of the silhouetted tree at left and the turmoil of fragmented curves of the soldiers below—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