Jan Collaert II’s engraving, “Deer Hunt with Bow and Arrow” c.1596, after Jan van der Straet

Jan Collaert II (aka Hans Collaert) (c.1561–c.1620)

“Deer Hunt with Bow and Arrow” (aka “Stag Hunt”), c.1596, after the design by Jan van der Straet (aka Joannes Stradanus; Ioannes Stradanus) (1523–1605), plate 36 from the series of 104 plates, “Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium”, published in Antwerp by Philips Galle (aka Philippe Galle; Philippus Gallaeus) (1537–1612).

Engraving on fine laid paper trimmed with a small margin around the platemark and backed with a support sheet providing wider margins.

Size: (sheet) 21.1 x 28.2 cm; (plate) 20 x 27.2 cm; (image borderline) 18.2 x 27 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (lower left) “Ioan. Stradanus inuent.”; (lower centre) “Ioan. Collaert Sculp. [...] Phls Galle excud.”

Numbered and lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “36.”; (centre in two columns of two lines of Latin verse) “Dum cornu Cerui, Iaculator forte Sagittâ;/ Attingit, Muscæ Ceruus morsum putat, atq[ue]// Sublato cornu Scalpit pede: nec mora, telum/ Inter vtrumque pedem prompta volat arte Secundum.”

New Hollstein Dutch 502 (Marjolein Leesberg [comp.] 2008, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450-1700: Cranach–Drusse”, vol. 6, Amsterdam, Sound and Vision, cat. no. 502).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Plate numbered 36, Deer Hunt with Bow and Arrow; in the centre foreground, a deer scratches its ear with its hind hoof; beyond, to the right, a huntsman targets the animal with a bow and arrow; two deer are seen in the mid-ground beyond” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1957-0413-65).

Condition: a richly inked and near faultless impression with small margins laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. Beyond a restored tear in the margin at centre and minor darkening in the text area, the sheet is in an excellent condition with no holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this magnificent impression—note the strong tonal contrasts and the crisp linework—of a very beautiful engraving showing a stag that has been bitten by a fly (“Muscæ”, based on my reading of the Latin inscription) at a critical moment of distraction for a strike from a Persian hunter with his bow (a “Kaman”), for the total cost of AU$320 (currently US$213.89/EUR193.53/GBP170.36 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 superb engraving executed with great sensitivity and care, 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