Jan Collaert II, “Hunting Quails and Rabbits”, c.1600, after Jan van der Straet

Jan Collaert II (aka Jan Collaert; Hans Collaert) (c.1561–c.1620)

“Hunting Quails and Rabbits”, c.1600, a rare first state impression of plate 69 (before numbering) from the series of 104 plates, “Venationes Ferarum, Avium, Piscium. Pugnae Bestiariorum: & mutuae Bestiarum”, after a drawing by Jan van der Straet (aka Joannes Stradanus; Ioannes Stradanus) (1523–1605) in the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm and a preliminary sketch in the National Design Museum in New York (inv. 1901-39-295v), with Latin text by Cornelis Kiliaan (c1529–1607), published by Philips Galle (aka Philippus Gallaeus; Philippe Galle) (1537–1612) in Antwerp.

Engraving on laid paper trimmed with a small margin around the platemark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 20.6 x 28.3cm; (plate) 19.8 x 27.2cm; (image borderline) 18.1 x 27.1cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline along lower edge: (left) “Ioan. Stradanus inuent.”; (left of centre) Ioan. Collaert Sculp.”; (right) “Phls Galle excud.”

Lettered in plate below the image borderline in two columns of two lines of Latin: (centre) “Nexa Coturnicibut Venator retia tendit./ Cum segetes messæ: Plaudo latrante, pætentem// Grex sese simul in campum velociter infert;/ Collectas Auceps deprendit casse volucres.” (The hunter stretches his nets for the quails./ When the harvest is reaped: I applaud, barking, lamenting// The flock quickly rushes into the field together;/ The birdcatcher catches the birds gathered.)

State i (of iii) before the addition of the number (“69”)

New Hollstein 521 (Johannes Stradanus) (Marjolein Leesberg [comp.] 2008, The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: Johannes Stradanus, part. 3, Ouderkerk aan den Ijssel, Sound and Vision, p. 196; [illus. p. 229], cat. no. 521); New Hollstein 1523 (Collaert Dynasty) (Ann Diels & Marjolein Leesberg [comp.] 2005–06, The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts 1450–1700: The Collaert Dynasty, vol. 8, Ouderkerk aan den Ijssel, Sound and Vision, cat. no. 1523).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Plate 69, Quail and Rabbit Hunt; on a corn field with sheaves of corn, two men on horseback, coming from the right, are about to drag a net over a covey of quails; to the left, two men draw a net over a rabbit; on the horizon, to the left, a church is seen, while to the right, a farm building is seen” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1957-0413-77 [inv. 1957,0413.77]).

See also the Rijksmuseum’s description of this print: https://id.rijksmuseum.nl/200175668.

Condition: a strong and near faultless impression with small margins around the platemark. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, abrasions, losses or significant stains and is laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper providing wide margins.

I am selling this exceptionally rare lifetime impression from the first state—interestingly the New Hollstein mentions only two impressions of this print from the first state held in museum repositories (but I may have misunderstood the advice [see “Johannes Stradanus, part 3, p. 196, cat. no. 521, SI]— for AU $319 in total (currently US $198.43/ EUR 190.36/ GBP 157.69 at the time of posting this print) 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 $319) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this exceptionally fine late Renaissance period engraving showing the hunting technique in the 16^th century for catching quail and rabbits, 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