Paulus Potter’s etching, “The Cowherd”, 1649

Paulus Potter (aka Paul Potter) (1625–1654)

“The Cowherd” (aka “Le Vacher”; “The Herdsman”; “De Veehoeder”), 1649, a late nineteenth century impression (possibly published in Philip Gilbert Hamerton”s 1868, “Etching and Etchers”, London, MacMillan & Co).

Etching with pale plate-tone on chine collé on laid paper with flattened centrefold of publication, trimmed around the platemark and backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (support sheet) 34.7 x 35.5 cm; (sheet) 18.5 x 20.8 cm; (platemark/chine collé) 18.3 x 20.5 cm.

Inscribed in plate: (lower left) “Paulus. Potter. In. et. F. 1649.”

Hollstein 14 (F. W. H. Hollstein 1954–2010, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts”, vols. 1-64, Amsterdam); TIB 1.14 (Leonard J Slatkes [ed.] 1978, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Netherlandish Artists”, vol. 1, New York, Abaris Books, p. 47, cat. no. 14-I [52]).

See also the descriptions of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum and the British Museum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.39047; https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_Sheepshanks-568.  

Condition: a strong (near faultless) impression, showing no sign of wear to the printing plate, trimmed around the platemark and laid onto archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins. There is virtually no evidence of the vertical fold (now flattened) created when this print was published and the sheet has no tears, holes, abrasions, stains or foxing.

I am selling this very fine impression taken from the original printing plate of Paulus Potter’s exceptionally beautiful etching—note how the foreground plants seem to be bathed in sunlight and the remarkably subtle shifts of tone rendering the front cow—for the total cost of AU$202 (currently US$143.55/EUR132.01/GBP115.81 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 late impression of a 1649 masterwork, 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