Jacques-Nicolas Bellin

Captain Cook's Exploration of Tahiti: 18th C. Hand-colored Map by Bellin

1780

This is a framed colored engraving entitled "Scene _ Country Fair" by George Hunt, published in London in 1825. It depicts a gathering of people at an early 19th century county fair, presumably in England. A majority of the crowd are turned away, watching a performance on a stage in the background. In the foreground a man is in conversation with a couple. The man wears a top hat and the woman is holding a baby. They are dressed in the typical attire of the middle class at that time. The engraving is presented in a brown wood frame and a double mat, with a cream-colored outer mat and a light cranberry...

This is a 17th century hand-colored copperplate engraving entitled "Cartusia Bruxellensis" by Lucas Vorsterman, the Younger, after a drawing by Jacob van Werden or Jacques van Weerden, published in 1659 in Antonius Sanderus' book 'Chorographia sacra Brabantiae sive celebrium aliquot in ea provincia ecclesiarum et coenobiorum descriptio . . . Brussel' (A sacred chorography of Brabant, or a description of several famous churches and convents in that province). It also appeared in other publications by Sanderus. In the 17th century, Brussels was within the Duchy of Brabant. This engraving depicts a bird's-eye view of the Scheut Carthusian Monastery in Brussels. Scheut is a district of Anderlecht, a municipality of Brussels, Belgium. The monastery housed monks, who took a vow of silence, in 20 rooms. There is a central courtyard with trees and shrubs. Monks are depicted strolling along its pathways. The cells for the friars are in the middle the cloister. There are people along the streets in the foreground and to the right of the large, imposing monastery. Some are on horseback, others are walking. In the lower right, what appears to be a dog pulls a small cart containing barrels, possibly of beer or wine. Districts and neighborhoods are labelled in the background, including Scheut, Anderlecht and Ransfort. A very ornate cartouche in the lower left contains Latin and the artist's attribution. Another decorative cartouche in the upper central area contains the title. This beautifully hand-colored and detailed engraving is printed on laid, chain-linked paper with wide, full margins. The sheet measures 17.25" high and 21.25" wide. It has Latin text on the verso. It has a central vertical fold, as issued, which is reinforced on the verso. Two small spots in the lower margin may actually represent drops of watercolor paint used to color the engraving. It is otherwise in very good condition. Antonius Sanderus (1586-1664) was a Flemish Catholic cleric and historian. He was born "Antoon Sanders", but Latinized his name like many writers and scholars of his time. He was the author of several books, including 'Chorographia Sacra Brabantiae', which was illustrated with this engraving. Lucas Vorsterman the Younger (1624-between 1666 & 1676) was a Flemish Baroque engraver and draughtsman. He produced engravings after the work of contemporary painters and for books by Antwerp publishers. Jacob van Werden or Jacques van Weerden (active 1643-1669), was a Flemish draughtsman, cartographer, military engineer and archer who was active in the Habsburg Netherlands. His drawings were used as designs for prints executed by various printmakers. He worked on maps, topographical views, historical scenes, portraits and book illustrations. He had a career as a military engineer and a member of the guard of the Spanish King. He advised on various military engineering projects and was an engineer of the Spanish army...

This is a 16th century original hand-colored copperplate engraved map of a bird's-eye View of Embden, Germany entitled " Emuda, vulgo Embden vrbs Frisia orientalis primaria" by Georg Braun & Franz Hogenberg, in volume II of their famous city atlas "Civitates Orbis Terrarum", published in Cologne, Germany in 1575. This is a beautifully colored and detailed map of Emden, a seaport in northwestern Germany, along the Ems River and perhaps portions of over Dollart Bay, near the border with the Netherland. The map depicts a bird's-eye view of the city from the southwest, as well as a view of the harbor and an extensive system of canals. Numerous ships of various sizes, as well as two rowboats containing numerous occupants are seen in the main waterway in the foreground and additional boats line two canals in the center of the city. Two men and two women are shown on a hill in the foreground on the right, dressed in the 16th century style of nobility. Two ornate crests are included in each corner. A title strap-work cartouche is in the upper center with the title in Latin. The crest on the right including Engelke up de Muer (The Little Angel on the Wall) was granted by Emperor Maximilian I in 1495. This is an English translation of an excerpt of Braun's description of Embden: "In Emden, the capital of East Frisia, rich merchants live in very fine houses. The city has a broad and well-situated harbour, which in my opinion is unique in Holland. Frisia and the whole of the Netherlands, for the ships can anchor here right under the city walls. They have also extended the harbour as far as the New Town, so that up to 400 ships can now find shelter here when the sea is rough." The emphasis on the harbor and waterways within the city highlights the importance of Emden's place as a seaport at this time. Embden developed from a Dutch/Flemish trading settlement in the 7th-8th centuries into a city as late as late 14th century. In 1494 it was granted staple rights, and in 1536 the harbour was extended. In the mid-16th century Emden's port was thought to have the most ships in Europe. Its population then was about 5,000, rising to 15,000 by the end of the 16th century. The Ems River flowed directly under the city walls, but its course was changed in the 17th century by the construction of a canal. Emden has canals within its city limits, a typical feature of Dutch towns, which also enabled the extension of the harbor. In 1744 Emden was annexed by Prussia and is now part of Germany. It was captured by French forces in 1757 during the Seven Years' War, but recaptured by Anglo-German forces in 1758. During the Napoleonic French era, Emden and the surrounding lands of East Frisia were part of the short-lived Kingdom of Holland. References:Van der Krogt 4, 1230, State 2; Taschen, Braun and Hogenberg...

This colorful and detailed early 18th century copperplate map by John Cary entitled "A New Map of Persia from the Latest Authorities" was published in London in 1801. It depicts Persia, the region of modern day Afghanistan, the Caspian Sea, the Sea of Aral, the Persian Gulf...

LITHOGRAPHS Greenwich Village NYC by the American photorealist artist John Baeder is a limited edition mezzotint printed using hand printmaking techniques on archival, cream colored ...

This print of a pine tree uses kitakata Japanese tissue chine collé to depict the warmth and colour of early autumnal light. It is then backed onto Hahnemule printmaking paper. The subject matter is from Ashton Court Estate in Bristol. This body of work is based on the book by Suzanne Simard, 'Finding the Mother Tree'. Trees communicate via mycorrhizal fungi to trade water and other nutrients. Ancient and mature trees nurture their offspring via these networks, as well as trading nutrients between other species. Botanist Simard has spent years working on this theory as part of a wider body of work, discovering what it means for forests, the climate and the wider Anthropocene. My work explores the ecological sublime and an appreciation of the majesty of nature. I use detailed intaglio etching, drypoint, lithography and chine collé to draw the viewer into an ethereal landscape that has an impact on our sense of place in relation to the natural world. I use primarily black and white with natural tones of chine collé and sometimes layers of lithographic texture to introduce warmth to the stark palette and to invoke a sublime emotional connection. I work from sketches, photographs, notes and memory to create my prints. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Black & White, Chine Collé, Drypoint, Drypoint print, Etching, Etching print on Paper Edition of 20 44 H x 32 W x 1 D cm (17.32 x 12.60 x 0.39 in) Sold unframed Image size: Height: 30cm (11.81 in) Width: 20cm (7.87 in) Complete size of sheet Height: 44cm (17.32 in) Width: 32cm (12.60 in) Depth: 1cm (0.39 in) ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Fiona Hamilton is a printmaker based in Bristol. Interested in process she uses a combination of mediums, both traditional and contemporary, to produce unique imagery, often as one off pieces or in small limited editions. She currently works in silkscreen, cyanotype and foil. Fiona’s artwork draws on a lot of natural themes such as plants, leaves, trees and creatures including lots of birds. She mostly works directly from nature or from photographs she has taken. She regularly lugs a heavy telephoto lens about to get photos of birds...

Scots Pine drypoint etching printed onto Japanese gampi tissue and backed onto German Hahnemule printmaking paper. This print depicts a mature pine tree, standing proud from the rest...

Scots Pine drypoint etching printed onto Japanese gampi tissue and backed onto German Hahnemule printmaking paper. This print depicts a mature pine tree, standing proud from the rest...