Charles David’s engraving, “Hercules defeats Geryon”, c1623, after Cornelis Cort and Frans Floris

Charles David (aka Charles Dauit; Charles Davit) (c1595–1631/38)

“Hercules defeats Geryon” (aka “Hercules verslaat Geryon”; “Hercule assomme le sanglier d’Arcadie et attaque Géryon”), c1623 (1613/15–1631/38), plate 8 from the series of 10 plates, “The Labours of Hercules” (aka “Werken van Hercules naar Frans Floris”), published in Paris by Pierre Mariette I (c1603–1657), after an engraving in reverse (1620?) by Cornelis Cort (1533–1578) (New Hollstein 172-181) following the design of a now lost painting (1554-55) conceived for the villa of the merchant and art collector, Nicolaas Jongelinck, in Markgravele (outside Antwerp) by Frans Floris (aka Frans Floris de Vriendt; Frans Floris van Vriendt) (1519/20–1570) (see BM’s Curator’s comment for inv. no. F,1.277).

Engraving on laid paper, an early (possibly a lifetime) impression based on the quality of line showing no sign of wear to the printing plate.

Size: (sheet) 24.2 x 33.7 cm; (plate) 22.7 x 28.5 cm; (image borderline) 21.4 x 28.4 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (middle left) “P. Mariette exc.”; (lower left corner) “Franciscus floris/ inuentor/ C David, Sculp,”; (lower right corner) “8”.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: “STERNITVR ARCAS APER PROCVL ARMENTOQ[UE] OPVLENTO CEDITVB ABDVCTO GERYON ORE TRIPLEX./ Hercule assomme le sanglier d'Arcadie et deffait le cruel Geryon a trois teste”.

State ii (of ii?) with the erasure of details of Charles David as publisher and the addition of the details of Pierrre Mariette I.

IFF 55 (“Inventaire du fonds français: graveurs du XVIIe siècle”, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, vol. 3, p. 331, cat. no. 55).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Hercules attacking three-headed monster Geryon, another man, seen from behind, also with a club (Hercules?), seen to right; another figure, bearded and holding a jar in the air, seen on profile, to right; a two-headed dog, half asleep, at Hercules' feet; beyond, Hercules raises his club at a charging boar; behind, a city landscape with a castle” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1948-0410-4-68).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “Hercules kills Geryon, the monster with three heads and three bodies, after having slain the herdsman Eurytion, and Orthrus, the two-headed watch-dog” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.102583).

Condition: a strong and near faultless impression in an excellent/near pristine condition for its considerable age with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this event-packed engraving showing Hercules in (arguably) three different positions as he slays the three-headed Geryon and Geryon’s two-headed dog, Orthrus, for the total cost of AU$367 (currently US$252.60/EUR236.13/GBP209.73 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 simply fabulous engraving with its startlingly creative composition—mindful that the original designer of the image, Frans Floris, was famous (as the British Museum advises) “for his heroic feats of drinking” (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG27426)—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