Crispijn
de Passe II (aka Crispin van de Passe; Crispin de
Passe) (c.1594–1670)
“Pope Paul V”
(aka “Paus Paulus V”; “Pontificia Sedes, qvæ Romanæ svccessit Monarchiæ” [The
Pontifical Sees, which the Roman Empire passed to the Monarchy]; “Sanctissimvs”
[The Most Holy]), 1611, plate 1 from the series of four engravings,
“Wereldheersers” (World Rulers) after the design by the engraver’s father,
Crispijn de Passe I (1564–1637), who also published this print, with eight
lines of verse (ode) by Guilhelm Salsman (1608–1658) in the writing edge and a
biblical reference from Mathew 10:16 ([transl.] “be wise as serpents, and
innocent as doves”) at lower right within the image borderline.
Engraving on
laid paper.
Size: (sheet) 25.5
x 29cm; (plate) 18.3 x 22.5cm; (image borderline) 16.7 x 22.2cm.
Lettered in
plate: (upper edge at centre) “PONTIFICIA SEDES, QVÆ ROMANÆ SVCCESSIT MONARCHIÆ.”;
(upper left) “SANCTISSIMVS”; (within the image borderline at lower left) “I/ Prudentes
sicut’ serpentes, et simplices simplices
sicut columbæ Matt[h?]/ 10”; (below the image borderline): “Pavle Pater Patrum,
tua dextra dirigit axem/ …// …/ …//…/ …/ …/ Sic non as tus erit, non tibi fas
tus erit./ Crispinus Passae, sen: Inue: et excu: Junior Sculp. Æta: 17// Guil:
Sal”.
Franks 430 (Daniel
Franken & Simon Laschitzer 1975, “L'oeuvre gravé des Van de Passe”, vol.
19, Amsterdam, p. 66, cat. no. 430); Hollstein Dutch 17 (Jan Verbeek & Ilja
M. Veldman [comp.] 1994, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings, and Woodcuts
1450–1700: De Passe (continued)”, vol. 16, Amsterdam, Van Gendt & Co, p.
96, cat. no. 17).
The Rijksmuseum
offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “Pope Paul V on a
throne under a canopy. In his left hand he holds a cross staff and with his
right hand he makes a gesture of blessing. Next to him is his coat of arms. At
his feet lie two snakes and two doves. On the left in the foreground lies the
she-wolf suckling the twins Romulus and Remus. In the background the festive
entry of Pope Paul V. Bottom left a Bible quotation from Matt. 10 in Latin. In
the margin an eight-line ode, in four columns, in Latin. First print from a
series of four with world rulers” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.160841).
Sometimes the
task of recording inscribed texts on prints is more difficult than it is rewarding. This time I was pleased
that I took the trouble to decipher the publication details. Here the details not only give
the original designer and publisher (Crispijn de Passe the Elder), but, unusually,
the inscription also advises that the engraver (Crispijn de Passe
the Younger) was 17 when he executed the plate. For me, this insight about the
engraver opened my eyes to what must have been (and is!) an amazing feat of dedicated
focus and skill. In particular, I am astounded by engraver’s fine rendering of
the Damask patterned weave of the Pope’s chasuble capturing its detail with the
subtlest of nuance from lit areas to shadow.
Condition: a
strong and well-printed impression with generous margins. Beyond minor grubbiness and a few marks in the margins, the sheet is in a good condition
with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains.
I am selling
this technically advanced engraving executed by the son of Crispijn de Passe
the Elder when he was only 17—to my mind an amazing feat of burin control—for
AU$288 in total (currently US$188.63/ EUR177.44/ GBP147.30 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$288) as this is
my currency.
If you are
interested in acquiring this rare and historically significant portrait of Pope
Paul V (1550–1621) executed during the Pope’s lifetime, please contact me
(oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make
the payment easy.
