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Thursday, 4 November 2021

Hans Weiditz II’s woodcut, “Cicero”, 1531


Hans Weiditz II (aka The Petrarch Master) (1500–1536)

“Cicero”, 1531, woodcut printed and published in 1531 in Augsburg by Heinrich Steiner (fl. 1522–1548) as an illustration to the first page of Johann Neuber and Johann von Schwarzenberg’s translation of Marcus Tullius Cicero’s (106–43 BC), “Officia M.T.C.: ein Bůch, so Marcus Tullius Cicero der Römer, zů seynem Sune Marco, von den tugentsamen Ämptern vnd Zůgehörungen, eynes wol vnd rechtlebenden Menschen” (Official M.T.C. [Marcus Tullius Cicero]: a book, according to Marcus Tullius Cicero the Romans, zů seynem [in addition to?] Sune Marco, of the virtuous offices and belongings, one who wants to live with the law; see https://archive.org/details/gri_33125012281362/page/n17/mode/2up.

The Royal Academy offers the following insights regarding this publication:

“Cicero's De Officiis is a treatise on duties, in three books in the form of a letter to the author's son, Marcus. It was written in 44 B.C. In the first book Cicero analyses the virtues of Wisdom, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance; in the second and third he discusses how they may harmonise with social and political expediency - taking examples from ancient Greek and Roman history” (https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/book/officia-m-t-c-ejn-bu-sup-e-sup-ch-so-marcus-tullius-cicero-der-ro-sup-e-sup).

According to Wikipedia, Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BC), “was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher and [an academic sceptic]”, who wrote extensively including “treatises on rhetoric, philosophy and politics, and he is considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicero).

Woodcut (recto and verso) on laid paper trimmed from a larger sheet with letterpress text.

Size: (sheet) 15.6 x 15.9 cm.

Condition: a strong, early impression (recto and verso) showing no sign of wear to the printing plate. The sheet has a minor stain along the lower edge otherwise the sheet is in excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this superb woodcut from the German Renaissance—note what I assume may be implements for crafting quills on the table—for AU$298 (currently US$221.53/EUR191.65/GBP162.41 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 finely detailed woodcut exemplifying the 100 years of advances in the use of linear perspective since the principle was first documented in 1435, 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 










(woodcut verso)


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