Heinrich
Guttenberg (1749–1818)
“The
Pythoness of Endor” (aka “La Pythonisse d'Endor”; “The Witch of Endor”), c.1805,
after Salvator Rosa
(1615–1673) with the intermediary design by Charles Abraham Chasselat
(aka Chasselas; Charles Abraham Chasselats) (1782–1843).
Etching with
engraving on wove paper backed with a support sheet.
Size: (sheet) 56.1
x 42.5 cm; (plate) 48.7 x 34.3 cm; (image borderline) 34.7 x 24.6 cm.
Lettered below
the image borderline: (left) “Peint par Salvator Rosa.”; (centre) “Dessiné
par Ch. Chasselat./ LA PYTHONISSE D'ENDOR”; (right) “Gravé par H.
Guttenberg.”
The British
Museum offers the following description of this print: “Saul consulting the
witch of Endor, who summons the ghost of Samuel, after Salvator Rosa. c.1803/18”
(BM inv. no. 1853,1008.113).
From my
understanding of the scene (and, of course, I may be wrong), the ghost of the
prophet Samuel is the glowing shroud-cloaked figure on the right summoned by
the bare-breasted sorceress from the village of Endor. Saul, the first monarch
of ancient Israel, is shown in the foreground bowing/supplicating to the ghost
who has bad news for Saul: Israel’s armies will be defeated and Saul is to die.
Condition: a
strong and near faultless impression in an excellent /near pristine condition with
wide margins and no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains. The
sheet has been laid onto a
support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.
I am selling
this darkly dramatic image of an awakened ghost summoned by a sorceress, for the
total cost of AU$263 (currently US$203.89/EUR176.05/GBP161.61 at the time of
posting 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$263) as this is
my currency.
If you are
interested in purchasing this superb etching (with engraving), please contact
me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to
make the payment easy.
This print is reserved pending confirmation of its purchase
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