Jost Amman’s etching, “August”, c1573

Jost Amman (aka Jost Ammon) (1539–1591)

“August”, c1573 (1554–1591), from the series of twelve plates in the format of semicircular segments, “The Months with Signs of the Zodiac” (aka “Les douze mois de l’année”), that I understand may have been designed for goldsmiths to use “in the decoration of the area bordering the rim of a bowl” (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1845-0809-1596).

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

Size: (extremities of curved sheet) 6 x 26.8 cm.

TIB (undescribed) but a description is offered for copies in reverse to the series by Monogrammist IA in vol., 20 (Part 1), cat. nos. 4.1–4.12 (pp. 37–42).

Note that the British Museum does not hold a copy of this rare etching, nevertheless, the BM offers the following description of a copy in reverse after Amman’s print: “August/ Virgo; […] Segment of a circle with peasants harvesting grain on the left and hawkers on the right. A farm in the background. Virgo as a woman holding a flower in the clouds, centre left” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1870-0625-12).

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed (near faultless) impression, trimmed around the image borderline and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing larger margins. Beyond minor restored holes, the sheet is in an excellent condition for its considerable age.

I am selling this remarkable and exceptionally rare etching in superb condition—mindful that the British Museum does not hold a copy of this marvellous print (although the museum holds other prints from the series)—for AU$383 in total (currently US$264.71/EUR258.18/GBP220.44 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 fascinating image of everyday activities associated with August in Germany in the late 1500s by one of the most famous of the old master printmakers who is better known for his woodcut prints, 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