Valentin Lefebre’s etching, “Arithmetic and Geometry”, 1682, after Paolo Veronese

Valentin Lefebre (aka Valentin Le Fevre; Valentin Le Febre; Valentin Lefebure; Valentin Lefèvre) (1637–1677)

“Arithmetic and Geometry” (aka “Rekenkunde en Geometrie”; “Allégorie de l’Arithmétique et de la Géométrie”), 1682, plate 14 from the series of fifty-three plates, “Opera Selectiora” (aka “Opera selectiora quae Titianus Vecellius Cadubriensis et Paulus Calliari Veronensis inventarunt ac pinxerunt”), after a painting by Paolo Veronese (aka Paolo Caliari) (1528–1588) on the ceiling of the Salone of the Marciana Library in Venice, published by Jacobus van Campen (fl.1682) in Venice.

Note that Johann Gottfried Seuter (aka Gottifredo Saiter; Johann Gottfried Saiter) (1717–1809) made a copy in reverse direction to Lefebre’s etching in c1749; see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1936-1007-23.

Etching on laid paper (with watermark) trimmed around the image borderline with a thread margin.

Size: (sheet) 31.8 x 29.1 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) V. lefebre del. et sculp.”; (centre) “PAVLVS CALIARY, VERONENSIS, INVENT, & PINXIT,”; (right) “J, Van Campen, Formis. Venetÿs.”

Lifetime impression; state i (of ii) before the addition of the address of the later publisher (Teodoro Viero).

Ruggeri I.48 (Ugo Ruggeri 2001, “Valentin Lefèvre: Dipinti, Disegni, Incisioni”, Manerba, Merigo Art Books, pp. 224–25, cat. no. I.48); Hollstein Dutch 1–53 (FWH Hollstein 1953, “Dutch and Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: L'Admiral–Lucas van Leyden”, vol. 10, Amsterdam, Menno Hertzberger, p. 46, cat. no. 1–53); Villot 48 (Frédéric Villot 1844, "Valentin Lefebre, peintre et graveur à l'eau-forte", in 'Le Cabinet de l'amateur et de l'antiquaire', vol. 3, pp. 495–96, cat. no. 48).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Two female personifications of Geometry and [Arithmetic]; the one on the left is seen from behind, kneeling; the one on the right is reading a book; circular composition; after Veronese. 1682 Etching” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1954-0211-6-42).

See also the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.138915.

Regarding the publication of “Opera Selectiora”, the British Museum advises: “The series was left unfinished at his [Valentin Lefebre's] early death, and finally published in 1682 by Jacques van Campen (the 1680 edition does not seem to exist). It was reprinted in 1684, and in the XVIIIc in 1749, 1763; later by Teodoro Viero who added his address to the plates (editions in 1786 and 1789)” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG35284).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression trimmed around the image borderline with a thread margin. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this very Venetian composition showing female personifications of Arithmetic and Geometry, for AU$328 (currently US$219.24/EUR198.36/GBP174.62 at the time of listing 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 lifetime impression from the first edition published by Jacobus van Campen, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Note that I have listed other etchings by Valentin Lefebre that are still available at the time of this listing; see:

https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2022/05/valentin-lefebres-etching-venice.html;

 https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2021/08/valentin-lefebres-etching-landscape.html;

 https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2020/05/valentin-lefebres-etching-janus-and.html. 

This print has been sold