Nicolaes Berchem’s etching, “Pissing Ewe and a Sheep”, c1650

Nicolaes Berchem (aka Nicolaes Pietersz. Berchem; Nicolaes Berchen; Niclas Berghem; Claes Berighem; Nicolaes Pietersz.Berrighem) (1624–1683)

“Pissing Ewe and a Sheep” (aka “Une brébis qui pisse” [Bartsch title]; “Pissende ooi en een schaap” [RIJKS title), c1650 (RIJKS: 1646–1652), plate 6 from the series of 8 plates, “Animalia” (aka “Animals”; “Schapen”; “Animalia ad vivum delineata et aqua forti aeri impressa Studio et Arte Nicolai Berchemi”; A Woman’s Sketchbook II [TIB title]).

Etching on laid paper trimmed around the platemark with chipped corners and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 10.3 x 11.3 cm

State iii (of viii) Lifetime impression before the addition of the plate number of state iv, but with more refining marks around the stone (compare to the state ii impression held by the Rijksmuseum).

TIB 7(5).46(277) (Otto Naumann 1978, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Netherlandish Artists”, vol. 7, New York, Abaris Books, p. 76, cat. no. 46 [ 277]); Bartsch 277.46; Weigel 301.46; Dutuit I.45.46.I; Hollstein Dutch 46; Biesboer P82 (Pieter Biesboer et al. [eds.] 2006, “Nicolaes Berchem: in het licht van Italië”, Haarlem, Frans Hals Museum Ludion, pp. 124–25, 155, cat. no. P82).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Two sheep, one pissing seen from the back to the right, another one seen from the back in the left background … from a series of eight plates showing sheep Etching” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_Sheepshanks-3968).

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

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.38088.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate, trimmed around the platemark with chipped corners and laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. Beyond the losses at the corners, the sheet is in a good condition with no significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this remarkably unapologetic view of a ewe passing water—mindful that there was considerable interest by artists in the Dutch Golden Age for showing earthy views of everyday life—for the total cost of AU$198 (currently US$145.12/EUR122.69/GBP105.21 at the time of posting 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 visually arresting etching revealing not only the artist’s deep understanding of sheep, but also his acute observation and skill in showing the varying densities and degrees of transparency in a stream of urine—note in particular the subtle representation of the ewe’s further away leg seen through the urine—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Orazio Borgianni's etching, “Joseph Telling His Dreams to His Brothers”, 1615, after Raphael

Orazio Borgianni (aka Orazio Borgiani) (c1578–1616)

“Joseph Telling His Dreams to His Brothers” (TIB title) (aka “Joseph racontant à ses frères les songes qu’il a eus”; “Jozef vertelt zijn dromen aan zijn broers”),1615 (inscribed on plate), plate 25 from the series of 52 etchings after Raphael (1483–1520), “The Loggia Paintings” (TIB title), in the Vatican.

Etching on fine laid paper, trimmed around the platemark with a thread margin.

Size: (sheet) 15.1 x 19.5 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (lower-right corner) “1615/ [ligature monogram of artist]”

Numbered by an old hand in brown ink: (lower-right corner) “38”.

Lifetime impression, state i (of ii?). Although I previously understood that the prints in Borgianni’s “Loggia” series were all from a single state, this impression is not numbered in the plate with “25” inscribed at the lower right outside the image borderline, suggesting that this may be an impression from a state before numbering. Note that the Rijksmuseum also has an unnumbered impression whereas the copy held by the British Museum is numbered.

TIB 38 (17).25 (318) (Walter L Strauss [ed.] 1979, “The Illustrated Bartsch”, vol. 38, New York, Abaris Books, p. 384 cat. no. 25 [319]); Bartsch 25 (Adam Bartsch 1803–21, “Le Peintre graveur”, vol. 17, p. 318, cat. no. 25).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(transl.) “Joseph explains his dream to his brothers. He tells that in his dream the sheaves of his brothers bowed to his own sheaf and that the sun, moon and stars also bowed to him”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.85377).

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1893-1018-19-21.

Condition: a strong impression with brown ink numbering by an old hand at lower right. Beyond remnants of old mounting verso, the sheet is in an excellent condition for its considerable age with no tears, holes, folds, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this superb etching executed in the last year of the artist’s life and based on the design of the legendary Raphael who had passed away only 95 years before this print was created, for AU$257 (currently US$187.73/EUR159.01/GBP136.35 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 rare and very interesting Renaissance period print—note the artist’s somewhat crude attempt to create the illusion that the image is edged with a window-box frame by portraying light and shadow cast on it from a light source at upper left—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

Pietro Monaco’s engraving, “The Banquet of Cleopatra”, c1770, after Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

Pietro Monaco (1707–1772)

“The Banquet of Cleopatra” (aka “Il Convito di Nabal”; “Nabals Fest”), c1770, from a series of plates reproducing paintings then in the Venetian palazzi, “Raccolta di 112 stampe di pitture della storia sacra” (see BM inv. 1865,0520.773), after the painting (1744) in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne, Australia) by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (aka Giambattista Tiepolo) (1696–1770) (see https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/4409/). This impression was published in Venice by Teodoro Viero (1740–1819) (as inscribed in the plate).

Engraving on laid paper trimmed with a small margin around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 37.4 x 52.1 cm; (image borderline) 32.1 x 49.4 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Pietro Monaco del Scol”; (centre) “IL CONVITO DI NABAL/ Venit autem Abigail ad Nabal, et ecce erat ei convivium in domo ejus, quasi convivium regis, et cor Nabal jucundum, erat enim ebrius nimis: et non indicavit ei verbum pusillum, aut grande usque mane. Reg. 1. Cap. XXV. V. 36./ PITTURA DI GIO: BATTĀ: TIEPOLO POSSEDUTA DAL SIG. CO: FRAN.^co ALGAROTTI.”(right) “Appo Teodore Vier[o] in Venezia”.

Interestingly, Charles Le Blanc (1854) does not describe this print in his “Manuel de l'amateur d'estampes, contenant un dictionnaire des graveurs de toutes les nations: ouvrage destiné à faire suite au Manuel du libraire par J.Ch. Brunet”, vol. 3, Paris, pp. 38–39 (see https://archive.org/details/manueldelamateu00blangoog/page/n43/mode/2up).

See the following description of this print offered by the British Museum:

“The Banquet of Cleopatra, set within an architecturally elaborate hall, after Tiepolo

Engraving” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1865-0520-760). 

The National Gallery of Victoria offers the following background account to the scene portrayed in Tiepolo’s painting:

“The story of Mark Antony (83–30 BC) and Cleopatra (69–30 BC) was a popular subject for artists in the 18th century. Both Antony and Cleopatra were powerful leaders. Cleopatra was the seventh and last queen of Egypt who enjoyed a life of refinement and luxury. Mark Antony was the Roman consul whose legendary extravagances included feasts where he would gorge himself on rare foods. The story of their love affair involved romance, war, military splendour, tragedy and death (Gott 2003, p. 102).

The episode represented in Giambattista Tiepolo’s The banquet of Cleopatra was written by the Roman historian Pliny in AD 77. As Gott (2003, p.102) notes, it tells of a famous contest between the Egyptian and Roman rulers. Cleopatra wagered that she could stage a feast more lavish than those of Mark Antony. Tiepolo’s painting shows the dramatic moment at the end of the meal when she removes one of a pair of rare, priceless pearls that she wears as earrings, and drops it in a glass of vinegar and drinks it.

Lucius Plancus, the third figure at the table, was umpiring the wager. He declared Cleopatra the winner of the bet and stopped her destroying the second pearl.

While Tiepolo’s painting is based on a historical story and includes visual references to ancient Egypt and Rome, Tiepolo has painted Cleopatra in contemporary dress.

(https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/school_resource/art-start/image-bank/giambattista-tiepolo/)

Condition: a well-printed strong impression with a small margin around the outer image borderline and laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There is chipping with losses the borderline (see lower right corner) otherwise this large sheet is in a very good condition with no significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this large and very rare etching—note that the National Gallery of Victoria that holds Tiepolo’s painting does not have a copy of this print (or at least not online)—for the total cost of AU$488 (currently US$356.96/EUR302.42/GBP259,43 at the time of posting 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 remarkably beautiful and luminous engraving, 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 

Charles Waltner’s etching with drypoint, “Lions”, c1880 after Frans Snyders

Charles Waltner (aka Charles Albert Waltner) (1846–1925)

“Lions”, 1879, inscribed in the plate as being after Peter Paul Rubens (aka Petrus Paulus Rubenius) (1577–1640)—the Curator of the British Museum proposes with “variations after details of Rubens' painting ‘Daniel in the Lions' Den’, now in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, inv.no.1965.13.1.” (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1880-0214-220)—but more likely the etching is after details of the lion heads in Frans Snyders’ (aka Franchoijs Snijders) (1579–1657), “Two Young Lions Chasing a Roe”, early 1600s, in the Alte Pinakothek  (see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Frans_Snyders_-_Two_young_lions_chasing_a_roe.jpg), printed by Alfred Salmon (fl.1863–1894) as an illustration to “L'Art” published in 1879.

Etching and drypoint on cream laid paper with wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 30.4 x 39.8 cm; (plate) 23.8 x 29.6 cm; (image borderline) 20.6 x 25.5 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “P.P. Rubens pinx/ L'Art”; (centre) “LIONS/ (Cabinet de S.M. Léopold II, Roi des Belges.)”; (right) “Ch. Waltner sc./ Imp. A. Salmon”.

Beraldi 18 (Henri Béraldi 1892, “Les Graveurs du XIXe Siècle: Guide de l'Amateur d'Estampes Modernes”, vol. XII, Paris, Librairie L. Conquet, p. 260, cat. no. 18).

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed (near faultless) impression with generously wide margins in excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this amazing etching that, despite being rendered solely in black lines, has the appearance of being executed in white lines emerging from a black background—no wonder that Waltner is regarding as one of the major printmakers of the 19^th century for his virtuosity in reproducing old master paintings!—for the total cost of AU$197 (currently US$144.10/EUR122.08/GBP104.73 at the time of posting 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 dramatic study of two lions, 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 

Pieter Boel’s etching, “Donkey with Three Dogs”, c1657

Pieter Boel (aka Peeter Boel; Petro Boel, Peter Boele; Pierre Boule) (1622–1674)

“Donkey with Three Dogs” (TIB title) (aka “Donkey Loaded with Fowl”; “Ezel met gevogelte beladen”), c1657, frontispiece print from a series of six etchings featuring birds, “Diversi ucelli” (Several birds).

Etching on laid paper with small margins around the platemark and backed on a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 17.6 x 24.7 cm; (plate) 16.2 x 23.5 cm.

Inscribed in plate on column: “Diversi uccelli/ à/ Petro Boel.”

TIB 5 (4). 1 (201) (Walter L Strauss [gen. ed.] 1979, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Netherlandish Artists”, vol. 5, New York, Abaris Books, p. 190, cat. no. 1 [201]); Hollstein Dutch 1 (F W H Hollstein 1953, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts c.1450–1700: Boekhorst–Brueghel”, vol. 3, Amsterdam, Menno Hertzberger, p.57, cat. no. 1)

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(transl.) “A donkey laden with fowl stands next to debris from a building. Beside him two hunting dogs” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.82669).

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum:

“Title-page with the title of the series written on a column fragment in the lower right corner, a gun and bird at right, several animals at left ...” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_Sheepshanks-4411).

Condition: a well-printed impression with small margins laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet is in a good condition with no tears, holes, folds, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this rare etching showing three dogs—you’ll have to look closely to see them all!—beside an almost overladen donkey bearing a range of hunted birds with the hunter’s flintlock rifle resting on a toppled column inscribed with the title of the series of which this is the frontispiece print, for the total cost of AU$399 (currently US$288.54/EUR245.55/GBP210.87 at the time of posting 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 sensitively rendered hunting scene from the mid-1600s, 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