Jan Sadeler I’s engraving, “Saint Justina,” c1585, after Maarten de Vos

Jan Sadeler I (aka Johannes Sadeler; Johann Sadeler) (1550–1600)

“Saint Justina” (TIB title) (aka “Heilige Justina”), c1585, the twelfth engraving in the series of seventeen prints of female saints (including he title plate), “Speculum Pudicitiae” (Mirror of Modesty) (aka “Spiegel van eerbaarheid” [Mirror of Honour]), after a lost drawing by Maarten de Vos (aka Marten de Vos; Maerten de Vos) (1532–1603), published by Jan Sadeler I in Antwerp.

Engraving on laid paper trimmed with a thread margin around the image borderline on the top and sides and retaining the lines of text below the borderline, backed with a support sheet to provide margins.

Size: (sheet) 18.1 x 12.5 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (lower centre) “M. de vos figura. Sadler excud.”

Lettered in two lines of text below the image borderline: “Igne Euangely IVSTINA …/ … nominee fructus.”

Lifetime impression (based on the quality of the line showing no sign of wear to the printing plate).

TIB 7001.324 (Isabelle de Ramaix 2001, “The Illustrated Bartsch”, vol. 70, Part 2 [Supplement], New York, Abaris Books, p. 135, cat. no. [7001].324); Hollstein 353 (Dieuwke de Hoop Scheffer [comp.] 1980, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: Aegidius Sadeler to Raphael Sadeler II: text”, vol. 21, Amsterdam, Van Gendt & Co, p. 142, cat. no. 353); Hollstein 958 (Christiaan Schuckman [ed.] 1996, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: Maarten de Vos: text”, vol. 44, Rotterdam, Sound and Vision Rijksprentenkabinet, p. 203, cat. no. 958); Edquist, p. 158, no. 98b.

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(Transl.) “St. Justina, seated. She is reading a book. In the foreground is a sword. In the background her beheading. The twelfth print of a seventeen-part series with female saints.”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.168529).  

Condition: strong and well-printed impression trimmed with a thread margins laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.  Beyond a slight rounding of the lower right corner, the sheet is in a very good condition for its considerable age with no tears, holes, folds or abrasions or significant stains.

I am selling this strong impression of a sensitively executed and very beautiful engraving by one of the most famous of the Flemish old masters, for AU$370 (currently US$274.45/EUR253.78/GBP210.76 at the time of posting this print) 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 small masterwork of engraving from the late Renaissance, 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