Jan Luyken, “… a great darkness of three days fell over all the land of Egypt”, c.1700

Jan Luyken (aka Johannes Luyken; Jan Luijken) (1649–1712)

“… a great darkness of three days fell over all the land of Egypt”, c.1700, Illustration to the third volume of David and Willem Goeree’s (1635–1711) “Mosaize historie der Hebreeuwse kerke …” (Mosaic history of the Hebrew church …), inserted at page 166 (see this page and the publication online: https://archive.org/details/ned-kbn-all-00007382-001/page/n230/mode/2up), published in Amsterdam in 1700.

Etching on laid paper with full margins of publication and the gatefold of publication flattened with a backing sheet.

Size: (sheet) 32.1 x 37.7 cm; (plate) 28.8 x 36.8 cm; (image borderline) 27.5 x 36 cm.

Lettered in plate: (above the image borderline at right) “3 Deel P. 166.” (Part 3; Page 166); (below the image borderline): “Moses zyn hand na den Hemel uitstrekkende, vald een Dikke Duysternis van drie dagen over gands Egipten-land; maar daar is Ligt in alle de woningen Israels. Exod. 10:22.23.” (Moses stretched out his hand toward Heaven, and a great darkness of three days fell over all the land of Egypt; but there lies [light] in all the houses [of the Israelites]. Exodus 10:22-23.)

Van Eeghen 2602 (Pieter van Eeghen & Johan Philip van der Kellen 1905, “Het werk van Jan en Casper Luyken”, Amsterdam, Frederik Muller & Co., vol. 2, p. 485, cat. no. 2602).

Van Eeghen (1905) offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “Scene in a city, where people grope their way in the darkness or sit despondently, or move slowly in artificial light. In the background on the left is the country of Goshen, brightly lit by the sun.” (p. 485; see https://archive.org/details/hetwerkvanjanen01kellgoog/page/484/mode/1up). 

Condition: a strong and near faultless impression. The sheet is in an excellent condition for its large size and considerable age with the publication gatefold flattened by the sheet having been laid upon an archival support of millennium quality washi paper.

I am selling this large and visually arresting dark etching in a superb (museum quality) condition, for AU$274 (currently US$178.64/EUR165.58/GBP1141.47 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 remarkable etching showing the artist’s skill and insight to create a discernible image out of very close dark tones, 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

Adriaen Collaert, “Fishing for Tuna”, c.1596, after Jan van der Straet

Adriaen Collaert (c.1560–1618)

“Fishing for Tuna”, c.1596, Plate 89 from the series of 104 engravings, “Hunting Parties” (aka “Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium” (transl. “With wild beasts, birds, fish”), after Jan van der Straet (aka Joannes Stradanus; Ioannes Stradanus) (1523–1605), published in Antwerp by Philips Galle (1537–1612).

Archive.org offers an online view the publication, “Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium”, featuring this print before the change in its plate numbering: https://archive.org/details/printboeck00stra/page/29/mode/1up.

Note: the first edition of “Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium” published by Galle comprised 43 unnumbered plates all engraved by Galle with a dedication page to Cosimo de Medici. After this edition the series was expanded to 104 plates engraved by A. Collaert, J. Collaert, C. Galle I and C. de Mallery with a dedication page to the jurist Henricus van Osthoorn en Sonnevelt (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1957-0413-37 and A. Baroni and M. Sellink, “Stradanus 1523-1605: Court artist of the Medici”, exh. cat. Groeningemuseum Brugge 2008–09, Turnhout, 2012, pp. 245–58, cat. nos. 32–49).

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

Size: (sheet) 21.2 x 27.3 cm; (platemark) 20.7 x 26.5 cm; (image borderline) 18.7 x 25.8 cm.

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline along lower edge: (centre) “Ioan. Stradanus inuent.”; (right of centre) “Adrian. Collaert sculp.”; (right) “Phls Galle excud.”

Numbered and lettered in plate in two columns of two lines below the image borderline: (left) “89.”; (centre) “Parthenopææ vrbis Thynnus prope littora Magnis/ Tempore certo anni solet aduentare caterusi.// Piscator conto tensa hos in retia pellit,/ Fuscinula figit, vel acuti dente tridentis.” ([Google transl.] At a certain season of the year, the Catherus are wont to arrive near the shores of the city of Thynnus in Parthenopeia. The fisherman drives them into the net with a tight line, and catches the Fuscinula, or with the sharp tooth of a trident.)

New Hollstein (Dutch & Flemish) 494 (Marjolein Leesberg [comp.] 2008, “The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: Johannes Stradanus”, vol. 3, Amsterdam, Sound and Vision Rijksmuseum, cat. no. 494); Baroni Vannucci 693.89 (Alessandra Baroni Vannucci 1997, “Jan van der Straet, detto Giovanni Stradano, flandrus pictor et inventor”, Milan, Jandi Sapi Editori).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Fishing for Tuna; to the left, fishermen catch the tuna using nets and tridents; to right, the catch is laid out on the shore; a town is seen with a harbour beyond (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1872-0511-1263).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression with a small margin around the platemark and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. Beyond a restored tear in the lower edge, the sheet is in very good condition for its considerable age with no holes, folds, losses or significant stains.

I am selling this exceptionally rare, engraving from the late 1500s for the total cost of AU$320 (currently US$208.77/EUR193.36/GBP165.37 at the time of this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) 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 historically interesting view of the catching of tuna and the use of smoke signals between fortifications shown in the distance, 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

Circle of Matthäus Merian I, “Battle of Fleurus, 1622”, 1644

Unidentified printmaker from the circle of Matthäus Merian I (1593–1650)—note that Wikimedia has identified the printmaker as Matthäus Merian I (see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_of_Fleurus_1622.jpg)

“Battle of Fleurus, 1622” (aka “Slag bij Fleurus, 1622” [see also the titles lettered in plate above the image]), 1640.

Note that beyond the Battle of Fleurus (Belgium) in 1622, there were three other Battles of Fleurus: 1^st July, 1690; 26^th June,1794; 16^th June, 1815.

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

Size: (sheet) 27 x 35.6 cm; (image borderline) 23.8 x 35 cm.

Lettered in plate: (above the image) “Eigentliche Vorbildung des Harten Treffens so zwischen den Mansfeldische[n] und Spanischen auff den Brabändischen Grentzen vorgangen Anno 1622.” (Actual model of the hard meeting that took place between Mansfeld and the Spanish on the Brabant [province in Belgium] borders in 1622.); “PRÆLIUM INTER HISPANOS ET MANSFELDICOS AD FLOREACVM IN BRABANTIA.” (The battle between the Spanish and Mansfeld at Fleurus in Brabant); (below the image) a legend of letters from “A” to “N” for events shown in the image.

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print without attributing it to Matthäus Merian I: (transl.) “Battle of Fleurus in Hainaut between the army under Christian Duke of Brunswick and Ernst Count of Mansfeld against the Spanish army under Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, August 29, 1622. In the caption the legend A [to] N in German” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.457701).

I understand that the advance by Ernst von Mansfeld (shown on horseback at letter “F” between the two cannon blasts in the middle distance) against the Spanish army led by Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba (shown on horseback at letter “A” near the distant forest) resulted in the loss of 300 Spanish troops and 5000 Protestant troops. Interestingly, the Spanish army had 4 cannons and the Protestants had 11 cannons, but in this presentation the Spanish at letter “D” are shown to have 7 cannons (in my count) and the Protestants at letter “N” only have 2 cannons. No doubt if the dust and blasts of smoke were to subside the missing cannons would appear.

Condition: a strong impression (possibly a lifetime impression as the line is crisp showing no sign of wear to the printing plate), with a narrow margin around the image borderline and lines of text. There are restored losses along the flattened centrefold and the sheet is laid onto archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins.

I am selling this historically important etching showing the tactical positions of opposing armies in the Battle of Fleurus (Belgium), 29^th August, 1622, for AU$293 (currently US$191.15/EUR177.05/GBP151.41 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 significant etching detailing an important battle in the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648)—described by Wikipedia as “one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history”, 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

Jean Jacques de Boissieu, “Le Grand Pont de Pierre”, 1799

Jean Jacques de Boissieu (aka Jean Jacques de Boissieux) (1736–1810)

“Le Grand Pont de Pierre” (The Great Stone Bridge), 1799

Etching with drypoint, engraving and roulette on heavy laid paper (possibly with a fine backing sheet). This is an impression taken in 1823 (based on the smudge/stain on the artist’s monogram at lower right that is an attribute of the print in its final state).

Size: (sheet) 41.2 x 52.3 cm; (platemark) 35.5 x 45.5 cm; (image borderline) 31.1 x 42 cm.

Inscribed in plate below the image borderline: (left) “1799.”; (right) “J. J. DB [ligature] 1799 [date inscribed very faintly]”.

State v (of v)

Perez 108 (Marie-Féliche Perez 1994, “L'Oeuvre gravé de Jean-Jacques de Boissieu”, Geneva, Éditions du Tricorne, pp. 238–39, cat. no. 108); IFF 108 (Département des Estampes 1930, “Inventaire du Fonds, Français: graveurs du XVIIe siècle”, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale).

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1853-0312-393. 

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed (near faultless) impression with wide margins. The sheet is unusually stiff/rigid suggesting that it may have a support of washi paper (but I am uncertain about this), nevertheless, the sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains.

I am selling this dramatically lit scene of what must have been a moment of everyday rural life happening around an ancient stone bridge in the late 1700s—the setting is possibly around Lyon in France where the artist worked—for AU$288 (currently US$187.56/EUR173.52/GBP148.39 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 magnificent etching, 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

Ludwig Wilhelm Wittich, “Cross-Stitch Chart, No. 3710”, c.1830

Ludwig Wilhelm Wittich (1773–1832)—designer and publisher of the printed grid charts known as “Berlin Woolwork Patterns” (see https://berlinwoolwork.tumblr.com/theprints).

“Cross-Stitch Chart, No. 3710”, c.1830, etching coloured with hand-painted gouache/opaque watercolour on buff-coloured card, published in Berlin by Ludwig Wilhelm Wittich.

Size: (sheet) 33 x 37.7 cm; (platemark) 32.1 x 31.6 cm; (outer image borderline) 30.8 x 30.4 cm.

Inscribed in plate (the numbers are possibly handwritten rather than printed): (upper-right corner) “3710.”; (left side at centre) “221”; (lower left corner) “12”; (lower edge at centre) “Berlin bei L.W. Wittich. Fianzofische St, N^o 43.”

Condition: the colour is unfaded and painted with skill and care with pencil marks on the coloured squares of the grid suggesting that the chart has been "used" in a practical application of the design. Beyond a repaired tear in the upper margin and pencil annotations verso, the sheet is in a good condition with no significant stains.

I am selling this absolutely amazing hand-painted colour chart printed on an etched grid painstakingly crafted as a guide for cross-stitch embroidery—note that this is likely to be a unique colour chart as the time and patience taken to create it would be considerable—for the total cost of AU$369 (currently US$241.13/EUR222.70/GBP190.89 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 exceptionally rare (arguably) museum-quality piece of design history, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This coloured etching has been sold