Adriaen Collaert, “Septem Planetæ”, 1581, after Maarten de Vos

Adriaen Collaert (c.1560–1618)

“Babyhood Under the Influence of the Moon” (aka “Luna”; “Babytijd onder invloed van de maan”), 1581, plate 1 following the title plate to the series of eight engravings (including the title plate), “Septem Planetæ” (aka “The Seven Planets and Seven Ages”; “De zeven planeten en zeven leeftijden”; “Septem planetae, septem hominis”), showing the power of the seven planets over the seven ages of man (see Rijksmuseum inv. no. RP-P-1925-74) after the design by Maarten de Vos (aka Maarten de Vos; Maerten de Vos) (1532–1603), published in Amsterdam by Gerard de Jode (aka Geeraert/Geerart/Gerardo/Gheerde/Gheraerde/Girard de Jode) (1516/17–1591).

Engraving on laid paper with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 36.3 x 25.2 cm; (plate) 30.3 x 22.2cm; (image borderline) 28.8 x 21.9cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: “Auspicio LVNÆ, NATVRÆ munera crescent/ Robur et hinc INFANS concipit omne suum// 1// M. D. Vos Inuentor/ A. Collaert fecit”.

New Hollstein Dutch 1299 (Ann Diels and Marjolein Leesberg [comp.] 2005/6, “The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings, and Woodcuts 1450–1700: The Collaert Dynasty”, Ouderkerk aan den Ijssel, Sound and Vision, p. 20 [p. 23 image], cat. no. 1299).

See the description of this print offered by the British Museum (inv. no. 1862,0712.321).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “In the air floats the planet goddess Luna, the moon. She is accompanied by Cancer, her astrological sign. In the foreground the personification of Natura, nature. She suckles two children and has a mother hen and a cornucopia as attributes. Her city crown also identifies her as Cybele, mother of the gods. In the background toddlers and pre-schoolers play with each other. The print has a Latin caption and is part of a seven-part series about the power of the seven planets over the seven ages of man” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.96916).

Condition: a well-printed slightly silvery impression with full margins as published and in a very good condition with no tears, holes, folds or significant stains.

I am selling this rare engraving executed only 17 years after Michelangelo hung up his boots for the last time, for AU$336 (currently US$220.91/EUR204.21/GBP170.31 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. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$336) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this somewhat spectacular and curiously interesting engraving showing the influence of the moon personified as the planet goddess, Luna, on infants representing the first of the seven ages of man—or as the Latin caption explains in translation: “Under the auspices of the Moon, Nature's gifts grow stronger, and hence the child conceives all its own”—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