Jan Saenredam’s engraving, “Woman of Canaan”, c1595, after Goltzius

Jan Saenredam (c1565–1607)

“Woman of Canaan” (TIB title) (aka “The Woman of Cana” [BM title]; “La Chananéene”; “De Kananese vrouw”), c1595, Plate 4 from the series of six engravings, “Famous Women of the New Testament Saved by Christ”, after the design by Hendrik Goltzius (aka Hendrick Goltzius) (1558–1617).

Engraving on laid paper trimmed around the image borderline with loss to the lower writing edge and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 17.3 x 13.5 cm.

Inscribed on plate: (upper right corner) “[ligature initials] HGoltzius Inuventor/ I. Saenredam Sculpt.”

Numbered on plate: (lower left corner) “4”.

TIB 4 (3). 48 (237) (Walter L Strauss [ed.] 1980, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Netherlandish Artists”, vol. 4, New York, Abaris Books, p. 364, cat. no. 48 [237]); Hollstein Dutch 38 (George Shepard Keyes [comp.] 1980, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: Jan Saenredam to Roelandt Savery”, vol. 23, Amsterdam, Van Gendt & Co, p. 34, cat. no. 38).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Plate 4: Woman of Cana, half-length to right, with her hand on her chest and imploring; two small lap dogs at right; after Hendrick Goltzius” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1856-0815-62).

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

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.169309.

For those interested in the Biblical story behind this print, see Matthew 15: 21–28; Mark 7: 24–30. Note that in the background is shown the Canaanite woman kneeling before Christ asking for him to heal her daughter. The dogs in the foreground allude to Christ’s analogy regarding dogs and bread.

Condition: a well-printed lifetime impression (based on the quality of line showing no sign of wear to the printing plate), trimmed around the image borderline (with loss of the writing edge) and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this small masterpiece of engraving exemplifying the period style of Mannerism, for the total cost of AU$438 (currently US$339.03/EUR280.78/GBP244.44 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 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