Crispijn de Passe II, “Pope Paul V”, 1611, after Crispijn de Passe I

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.