Wolf Traut’s woodcut, “Liberation of Naples 1503”, 1515

Wolf Traut (aka Wolfgang Traut) (1486–1520)—printmaker from the workshop of Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528)

“Liberation of Naples 1503” (aka “Befreiung Neapels 1503”), 1515, panel from the series of twenty-one woodcuts constituting the monumental woodcut commissioned by the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I: “Triumphal Arch of Emperor Maximilian I” (aka “Ehrenpforte Maximilians I”; “Historical Subjects from the Triumphal Arch”). This impression is from the first German edition, 1517–18.

Note that this is the second plate from Dürer's large composite print (“Triumphal Arch of Emperor Maximilian I”) that I have listed. The previous plate has been sold.

Woodcut and letterpress with old colouring on laid paper (with many restorations) trimmed close to the image borderline on the top and sides, and with six lines of letterpress text below the lower borderline.

Regarding the use of colour on this print, Giulia Bartrum (1995) in “German Renaissance Prints: 1490–1550” (British Museum Press) advises that some of the first edition impressions “have extensive contemporary colour on them” (p. 53).

Size: (sheet) 22.9 x 15.9 cm.

letterpress Fraktur text below the image borderline: “Mayland hat er zu im gebracht …”.

Lifetime impression from the first edition (as signified by the verses of the letterpress text).

(Albrecht Dürer Workshop) TIB 10 (7).138 (149) (Walter L Strauss [ed.] 1980, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Sixteenth Century German Artists: Albrecht Dürer”, vol. 10, New York, Abaris Books, p. 232, cat. no. 138[149]).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print from the third edition with Latin prose by Benedictus Chelidonius, printed by Hieronymus Andreae in c1520: “Woodcut of the complete series of twenty-one historical subjects; the expulsion of the French from the Kingdom of Naples, with the French troops on the right, being defeated by infantry and cavalry on the left carrying the banners of Castile and Aragon, Sicily and Burgundy, above is a scroll with five lines letterpress. 1515 Woodcut and letterpress (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_E-2-337).

See also: https://classic.europeana.eu/portal/en/record/15508/DG1935_980_6.html.

Condition: a strong impression with early (possibly contemporary?) hand-colouring and a collector’s stamp verso. The sheet is in poor condition with many restorations.

I am selling this exceptionally rare woodcut executed as a panel in one of the most important (certainly one of the largest) composite prints from the Renaissance period compromising 195 separate woodcuts, for the total cost of AU$328 (currently US$236.40/EUR203.71/GBP175.73 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 superb (but very damaged) woodcut with early colouring—possibly from the time of printing as the complete multi-panel print was usually coloured—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

Rodolphe Piguet’s drypoint, “Young Woman with Muff”, 1885

Rodolphe Piguet (aka Rodolphe Piquet) (1840-1915)

“Young Woman with Muff” (aka “A Parisian Woman”; “Femme au Manchon”; “Jeune Femme au Chapeau et au Manchon”), 1885, a remarque-proof impression signed and dated in the plate before lettering for publication and printing by Charles Chardon in “L’Art” in Paris.

Drypoint with pale plate tone on buff laid (Imperial Japan) paper with a floral bouquet remarque at lower left.

Size: (sheet) 36.6 x 27.4 cm; (plate) 34.4 x 24.7 cm; (image borderline) 31.5 x 22 cm.

Inscribed in plate: (lower right corner) “R Piguet/ 1885”.

See the descriptions of this print offered by Proantic and at Museum of Art and History (MAH), City of Geneva: https://www.proantic.com/display.php?id=517085; https://collections.geneve.ch/mah/oeuvre/une-parisienne/e-2020-0193.  

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed impression with small margins around the platemark. Beyond toning at the upper margin edge, the sheet is in a an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, losses, significant stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this exceptionally beautiful portrait by an artist who is justifiably famous for his sensitivity and technical brilliance in handling the drypoint point needle, for a total cost of AU$257 (currently US$286.07/EUR186.05/GBP137.37 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 portrait of a young Parisian woman fashionably dressed in the spirit of the Belle Époque as perceived by a Swiss artist (arguably) influenced by the sprit of Impressionism, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Nicolas Beatrizet’s engraving, “St. Elizabeth of Hungary Visiting the Sick”, c1550

Nicolas Beatrizet (aka Nicolas Beatricetto) (c1507/15–1573/77)

“St. Elizabeth of Hungary Visiting the Sick” (TIB title), c1550 (1540–1566), after the design by Girolamo Muziano (aka Brescianino) (1528/32–1592). Initially published by Antoine Lafréry (aka Antonio Lafreri) (1512?–1577), this impression is from the later edition published in Rome by Carlo Losi (fl. late-1700s) in 1773 (as inscribed in plate).

Engraving with etching printed in a warm silvery-grey ink on laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 54.4 x 41.4 cm; (plate) 45.2 x 36.1 cm; (image borderline) 44.8 x 34.9 cm.

Lettered in plate: (upper left on wall) “SANCTA ELISABETH REGIS/ VNGARIE FILIA VAS VIRTV/ TVM ET MIRACVLORVM MA/ GNITVDINE CLARA QVÆ/ PARENTVM GENEROSITATE/ ET DIVITIARVM IACTANTIA/ CONTEMPTA PRO CORONA/ CINERE ET PRO PECTORALI/ FASCIA CILICIVM SVSCIPIENS/ MVNDO SE FECIT IGNOBILEM/ VT NOBILIS CVM CHRISTO/ EFFICERETVR IN COELIS”; (lower left corner) “HIERONVMO/ MVCIANO/ BRIXIANO/ INVENT”; (lower centre edge) “Presso Carlo Losi 1773”; (lower right corner) “NICOLAVS BEATRICIVS/ LO[TH]ARINGVS INCIDIT/ ET FORMIS SVIS EXC.”

State iii (of iii) with the erasure of the publication details added in state ii for Antoine Lafréry (“Romae Ant. Lafrerij”) and the addition of the publication details for Carlo Losi. Note that traces of the erased address of Lafréry may be seen between the second and third tile from the left.

TIB 31 (255) (Suzanne Boorsch [ed.] 1982, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Masters of the Sixteenth Century”, vol. 29, New York, Abaris Books, p. 275, cat. no. 31 [255]); Bartsch XV.255.31.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: ”St Elizabeth of Hungary visiting the sick, she blesses a woman who kneels before her. Engraving” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1874-0613-603).

See also the descriptions of this print at the Rijksmuseum and the Philadelphia Museum of Art: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.76241; https://philamuseum.org/collection/object/144.

For those unfamiliar with Saint Elizabeth of Hungary (aka Elizabeth of Thuringia) (1207–1231), the block of Latin text at upper left in the engraving advises that Saint Elizabeth was the daughter of the King of Hungary (Ludwig IV) and “a vessel of virtue and miracles”. Although born to wealth and nobility, I understand that Elizabeth despised both and—again from my reading of the Latin text—famously wore “ashes” rather than (I assume) jewels when she engaged in charitable acts for the sick and poor as portrayed in the print. Elizabeth had three children and died at only 24.

Condition: a well-printed impression that shows very few signs of wear to the printing plate despite the silvery grey colour of the printing ink suggesting otherwise. The sheet has generous margins with tear fractures; otherwise, the sheet is in a good condition with no holes, significant stains or foxing. Verso has several numbers written in faded ink by an old hand.

I am selling this large and very beautiful engraving that to my eyes seems to delicately shimmer with the silvery grey ink in which it was printed, for the total cost of AU$312 (currently US$226.92/EUR194.31/GBP165.90 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 engraving executed at the time of Michelangelo—mindful that the engraver worked under the direction of Michelangelo—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Jacques Androuet du Cerceau’s etching & engraving, “Triple Furrow Plough with Rope Guides”, 1569

Jacques Androuet du Cerceau (c1520–1586), René Boyvin (1525–1598) and workshop printmakers

“Plate 33: Triple Furrow Plough with Rope Guides” (descriptive title only], 1569, a lifetime impression from the first edition (signified by the inscribed Latin text—later editions have the text on the verso of the preceding page [see https://archive.org/details/theatruminstrum00bessa/page/n76/mode/2up]) published in Jacques Besson (c1540–c1576) and François Béroalde de Verville’s (1556–1626), ”Theatrum instrumentorum et machinarum Iacobi Bessoni Delphinatis, mathematici ingeniosissimi".

The Curator of the British Museum offers the following insights regarding the plates in this publication:

“… 'Theatrum Instrumentorum et machinarum', a treatise written by Jacques Besson, illustrated by 60 plates (engraved by various artists including Androuet du Cerceau), and allegedly firstly published in Orléans in 1569, though it is also referred as a book firstly published in 1578 in Lyon.

This very popular work was republished several times, in Geneva (1594 and 1626), in Spain (1602) and in Nuremberg (1595)” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1850-0612-93).  

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

Size: (sheet) 23 x 32.5 cm; (image borderline) 19.2 (right edge) x 31.9 cm.

Numbered and lettered in plate at upper edge: (left) “33”; (centre) “ARTIFICIVM NON VVLGARE TERRÆ MIRO COMPENDIO ARANDÆ, TRIPLICI VOMERE/ SIMVL, GEMINIS FVNRBVS AD PLAVSTRVM ARATRI ALLIGATIS, ET VEL SVPRA/ PLAVSTRVM, VEL IN FINIBVS ARVI SESE VIC1SSIM EXPLICANTIBVS, ET COM-/ PLICANTIBVS–“

Condition: a strong lifetime impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate, trimmed with a small margin around the image borderline and laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The left edge is stained, otherwise, the sheet is in a good condition with no tears, holes, folds or abrasions.

I am selling this rare lifetime impression (c1569) showing a Renaissance period proposal by  Jacques Besson for ploughing three furrows simultaneously in a field guided by tensioned ropes, for the total cost of AU$253 (currently US$184.07/EUR157.03/GBP134.71 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 amazing illustration from what is arguably the first published compendium of machine inventions—and certainly the most influential! —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

John Charles Robinson’s etching, “Nine Barrow Down, Isle of Purbeck”, 1872

Sir John Charles Robinson (1824–1913)

“Nine Barrow Down, Isle of Purbeck, looking towards St Alban's Head”, 1872, a view etched on location (“on the spot”) in reverse (see https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/image/media-218326). I understand that this scene is close to where the artist resided in his last years near Swanage, Dorset (see https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/41901).

Etching on cream laid paper (Arches watermark) with wide margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 29.5 x 43 cm; (plate) 11.3 x 26.1 cm; (image borderline) 10.8 x 25.7 cm.

Inscribed in plate: (above the image borderline at upper left) “NINE BARROW DOWN, I[S]LE OF PURBECK, LOOKING TOWARD[S] ST. ALBAN[S] HEAD.”; (within the image borderline at lower left corner) “1872”; (within the image borderline at lower right corner) “J.C. Robinson del. et sc.”

State iii (of iii) with “the lines of rain broken up by the burnisher” (state ii) and with the addition of the publication details (state iii).

Hind 12 iii/iii, PCQ Vol 8, No 3, 1921; illustrated page 306; H.167.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Spreading landscape with rain falling from heavy clouds. 1872

Etching” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1925-0314-77).

The Annex Galleries offer the following information regarding this print:

“Sir John Charles Robinson, a close friend of Seymour Haden, was Superintendent of Collections at the South Kensington Museum and Surveyor of the Queen's pictures. He was a noted collector and curator and was a founder of the Fine Art Club and the Royal Society of Painter Etchers (with Francis Seymour Haden).

In his catalogue of Robinson's prints Arthur Hind notes, while discussing Robinson's use of atmosphere that in the etching Nine Barrow Down, ‘We can see that the scraper and burnisher have been used to break up the straight etched lines making the rays of light coming from the sun; thus giving the effect of moving light and the haziness of dawn.’

Nine Barrow Down is an elongated hill forming the northern ridge of the Purbeck Hills on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, England. The chalk down is part of the extensive Southern England Chalk Formation. The eastern end of the ridge, which carries the highest point, is also sometimes known as Godlingston Hill. The col of the railway cutting at Harman's Cross means that it has sufficient relative height that it qualifies as a ‘Marilyn’” (https://www.annexgalleries.com/inventory/detail/17507/John-Charles-Robinson/Nine-Barrow-Down-Isle-of-Purbeck-Looking-Towards-St-Albans-Head).

Condition: a richly inked and near faultless impression with generously wide margins in near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this magnificent etching—a true printmaker’s print! —executed on location showing rain being shed from heavy clouds in a vast panorama, for the total cost of AU$279 (currently US$202.60/EUR172.90/GBP148.09 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 sublime etching that takes my mind to Constable and Rembrandt, 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