Romeyn de Hooghe’s etching, “The Angels Announce the Birth of Jesus to the Shepherds”, 1703

Romeyn de Hooghe (aka Romeijn de Hooge; Gisling) (1645–1708)

“The Angels Announce the Birth of Jesus to the Shepherds” (aka “Les  Anges  annoncent  la  naissance  de  Jesus  aux  Bergers” [published title]), published in 1703 as plate 119 (CXIX) to Henricus Vos' (1642–1708), “Alle de voornaamste historien des Ouden en Nieuwen Testaments” (All the principal histories of the Old and New Testaments). Based on the quality of line showing minimal/no sign of wear to the printing plate and the text printed verso, I believe that this impression is from the 1703 edition rather than the later 1714 edition which has no text printed on the back of the plates.

Archive.org offers a view of this print in its context in Jacques Basnage de Beauval’s (1653–1723) 1714 edition, “Alle de voornaamste historien des Ouden en Nieuwen Testaments” (aka “Le grand tableau de l'univers, ou, L'histoire des evenemens de l'eglise, depuis la creation du monde jusqu'à l'apocalypse de S. Jean: representée par des tailles douces : expliqués par des remarques historiques, theologiques & morales, avec les annales de l'eglise & du monde, depuis la creation jusqu'à la mort des apotres, & un abregé de la geographie sacrée” [The large picture of the universe, or, The history of the events of the church, since the creation of the world until the apocalypse of S. Jean: represented by soft engravings: explained by historical, theological remarks & morals, with the annals of the Church & of the world, from the creation to the death of the apostles, & a compendium of sacred geography]), published in Amsterdam by Jacques Lindenberg (aka Jacob Lindenberg) (fl. 1702–1721): https://archive.org/details/gri_33125010857536/page/n419/mode/2up. See also the explanation of this plate shown on pages 26–27 of the same edition.

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

Size: (sheet) 15 x 18.5 cm.

Numbered in plate within the image: (left) “2”; (centre) “1”; (right) “3”.

Inscribed in plate: (on banderole) “GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO”; (within the image at lower left) “Luca: C.2.V.15.”; (below the image borderline at centre) “Luca: 2: Vers 8”; (within the image at lower right) “Luca. C.2.V.16.”.

Landwehr 100 (John Landwehr 1970, “Romeyn de Hooghe [1645–1708] as Book Illustrator: A Bibliography”, Amsterdam, Vangendt & Co., p. 215); Hollstein Dutch 2.

See also a related print from the same series with details offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.124696.

Condition: a strong impression with letterpress text verso, trimmed around the image borderline and laid upon a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this graphically arresting etching designed as a composite of illustrations to chapter 2, verses 8, 15 and 16 of the “Gospel According to Luke”—note how the artist has used the tail of what I assume may be a startled fox with its ears back/twitching to invite the eye into the primary scene of angels announcing Christ’s birth…(my apologies if I have misinterpreted what is portrayed)—for AU$227 in total (currently US$167.49/EUR153.44/GBP126.43 at the time of posting 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 complexly interesting etching, 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