Philips Galle’s engraving, “The Sale of the Wood-Pidgeon”, 1578, after Jan van der Straet

Philips Galle (aka Philippus Gallaeus; Philippe Galle) (1537–1612)

“The Sale of the Wood-Pidgeon” (TIB title) (aka “Jacht op Duiven” [Rijksmuseum title]; “Hunting Pigeons”), 1578 (date inscribed on title plate to the series [TIB5601.104:1]), after Jan van der Straet (aka Joannes Stradanus; Ioannes Stradanus) (1523–1605), from the unnumbered plates to the series of 43 plates, “The Hunting Parties” (TIB title), and later published in Antwerp as plate 75 to the series of 104 plates, “Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium. Pugnae Bestiariorum: & mutuae Bestiarum” (see https://artmuseum.bowdoin.edu/objects-1/info/4231).

Engraving on laid paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 24.6 x 36.9 cm; (plate) 21.8 x 30.3 cm; (image borderline) 20.8 x 30.2 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (left-of-centre on lower edge) “Iohan Stra inuen”.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: “Retibus aut iaculis capitur sic s[a]epe Palumbes, [...] Qu[a]e mortem propri[a]e prolis amore subit.”

State i (of iv), lifetime impression, before the addition of the plate number (“75”) of state ii

TIB 5601.104:31 (Arno Dolders [ed.] 1987, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Netherlandish Artists: Philips Galle”, vol. 56, Supplement, New York, Abaris Books, p. 431, cat. no. [5601].104:31); New Hollstein Dutch 451 (Johannes Stradanus) (Marjolein Leesberg [comp.] & Huigen Leeflang [ed.]  2008, “The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: Johannes Stradanus”, vol. 3, Amsterdam, Sound and Vision, p. 143; p. 167 [ill.], cat. no. 451); New Hollstein Dutch 451 (Philips Galle) (Marjolein Leesberg & Huigen Leeflang [eds.]  2001, “The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: Johannes Stradanus”, vol. 4, Rotterdam, Sound and Vision, p. 252, p. 286 [ill.], cat. no. 549).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“The Sale of Wood Pidgeons; in the foreground, three women and a man line up to buy braces of wood pigeon from a basket strapped to a donkey; to left and right, wood pigeons are trapped by nets covering trees; beyond, men hunt with poles and nets in a wooded area”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1957-0413-113).

See also the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum:

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.114990.

Condition: a first state, slightly silvery impression (before being inscribed with plate number) in excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, losses, significant stains (but there is minor dustiness in the margin) or foxing. The sheet is laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this rare engraving from the late 1500s, showing the contemporary practices of hunting and selling of pigeons, for the total cost of AU$327 (currently US$253.72/EUR209.17/GBP183.25 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 exceptionally fine Renaissance period engraving executed by one of the most famous of the old-master printmakers, 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