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