Sigismund Feyerabend / Monogrammist SF’s woodcut, “Delilah Betrays Samson”, c1565

 

Sigismund Feyerabend (aka Sigmund Feyerabend; Sigmund Feierabend; Sigismund Feyrabend) (1528–1590) / Monogrammist SF

Note that the British Museum proposes the argument that as Feyerabend “began as a wood-engraver in the workshop of Virgil Solis in Nuremberg in the 1550s, … he might be the Monogrammist SF who produced prints designed by Solis during that period (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG27037).

“Delilah Betrays Samson”, c1565 (1550–1580), after the design by either Jost Amman (aka Jost Ammon) (1539–1591) (see https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b105511026/f53.item#) or Johann Melchior Bocksberger (aka Johann Melchior Bocksperger) (1525/35–1587) (see https://www.worldcat.org/title/neuwe-biblische-figuren-dess-alten-vnd-neuwen-testaments/oclc/83989735) or possibly Virgil Solis (1514-1562)—mindful that Solis added woodcut borders to the 220 woodcut plates in the series—published 1562 (BM ed.) and 1564 (Gallica ed.) in Frankfurt am Main by Sigismund Feyerabend and printed by David Zöpfel (aka David Zephelius) (fl.c1555–1563) and Johann Rasch (aka Johann Rasch (fl.1556–1562) (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1870-0625-191-411) in “Neuwe biblische Figuren dess Alten und Neuwen Testaments …”.   

Woodcut on laid paper with letterpress German text verso, trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 11.5 x 16.1 cm; (image borderline) 11 x 15.5 cm.

Monogrammed on plate at lower right: “SF”.

Condition: richly inked strong early impression showing little or no sign of wear to the printing plate with a narrow margin and laid onto a support sheet of archival (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 very strong impression of a 16th century woodcut showing Delilah and a servant cutting a substantial lock of hair from Samson as he sleeps, for the total cost of AU$259 (currently US$197.08/EUR167.59/GBP142.45 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 fascinating woodcut with its invitation to contemplate the sequence of events in the narrative of Samson and Delilah—viz. (from left) the bed and beverage; the slumped Samson being shorn; soldiers arriving at the Delilah’s beckoning; soldiers shearing Samson of his hair—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