(After) Peter Paul Rubens Prints and Multiples

This early 18th century hand-colored copperplate map of North and South America entitled "Totius Americae Septentrionalis Et Meridionalis Novissima Repraesentatio" was created by Johann Baptist Homann and published in Nuremberg, Germany, between 1710 and 1731. The map details cities, forts, mountains, forests and lakes, as well as districts. There is a decorative cartouche in the lower left which depicts a volcano, scenes representing the people in their native costumes, as well as animals and plants of the Americas. A village is seen in the background on the left. A second smaller decorative cartouche in the upper right includes text and a series of allegorical figures. A large portion if the north central and western portions of North America is left without detail, because the region was largely unexplored at the time this map was created. The map also shows "Terra Esonis Incognita", representing a mythical continuous land bridge from North America to Asia, a northwest passage. The map preceded the French and...

The four plates in this "Four Times of the Day" set were created utilizing both engraving and etching techniques by William Hogarth in 1738. Hogarth's original copper plates were refurbished where needed by James Heath and these engravings were republished in London in 1822 by Braddock, Cradock & Joy. This was the last time Hogarth's original copper plates were used for printing. Most were melted down during World War I for the construction of bombs. Printed upon early nineteenth century wove paper and with large, full margins as published by William Heath in 1822. The inscription below each print reads "Invented Painted & Engraved by Wm. Hogarth & Publish'd March 25. 1738 according to Act of Parliament". These large folio sized "Four Times of the Day" engravings/etchings are presented in complex gold-colored wood frames with black bands and scalloped gold inner trim. A majority of each thick impressive frame is covered with glass applied near the outer edge. Each frame measures 25.75" high, 22.25" wide and 1.88" deep. There are a few small dents in the edge of these frames, which are otherwise in very good condition. "Morning" has two focal areas of discoloration in the upper margin and some discoloration in the right margin, a short tear in the left margin and a short tear or crease in the right margin. "Noon" has a spot in the upper margin that extends into the upper image, but it is otherwise in very good condition. "Evening" has a faint spot in the upper margin, but it is otherwise in very good condition. "Night" is in excellent condition. The "Four Times of the Day" series is in the collection of many major museums, including: The British Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Tate Museum, The Chicago Art Institute and The Victoria and Albert Museum. Through this series Hogarth is portraying early 18th century London street life at "Four Times of the Day". His characters are exhibiting their personalities, quircks, strange activities, but he also wants to draw attention the disparities between the wealthy aristocracy and the common working class. Plate 1, "Morning" depicts morning in Covent Garden in the winter in front of Tom King...

"Veduta del Sepolcro della Famiglia Plauzia per la Strada Che Conduce da Roma a Tivoli vicino a Ponte Lugano" from "Le Antichità Romane" (Roman Antiquities), one of the most famous works by Piranesi. "Antichita" illustrates the tombs along the Appian Way...

"Rosa ex rubro nigricans" (Red Roses); a hand-colored copper engraving from Basilius Besler's landmark work, Hortus Eystettensis (Garden at Eichstatt), first published in 1613 in Eichstatt, Germany near Nuremberg and later in 1640 and 1713. This engraving is presented in a glossy silver and matte gold-colored wood frame with a green edge and an elaborate double cream-colored French mats with light mauve bands; each accented by a broad decorative marbleized green band. It is glazed with plexiglass. There is text offset and a very small crease in the left margin, but the print is otherwise in excellent condition. Provenance: W. Graham Arader Gallery...

This attractive and interesting map of Bermuda by Henricus Hondius in 1633 is entitled "Mappa Aestivarum Insularum, Alias Barmudas". It is based on a ...

This is a 16th century original hand-colored copperplate engraved map of View of View of Meissen, Germany entitled "Misena Hermun Duvorum Urbs" by Georg Braun & Franz Hogenberg, from their famous city atlas "Civitates Orbis Terrarum", published in Cologne, Germany in 1575. The map depicts a side view and bird's-eye view, looking across the Elbe River (labelled Albis Fluvius on the map; White River in Latin) from the northeast. In the foreground are three women in conversation on a hill above the city, along with a man and a woman in conversation by a road, all dressed in contemporary costumes of the upper class. A coat-of-arms is present in each upper corner. A great castle sits atop a hill in the background on the left. Meissen grew up around Albrechtsburg castle, built by Emperor Henry I around AD 929, and was granted a municipal charter at the end of the 12th century. From 1471 onwards, the castle complex was reconstructed as the residence of the Saxon electors on the northeast corner of the Domberg (Cathedral Hill). Meissen cathedral is a Gothic hall church begun c. 1270; in 1413 a bolt of lightning destroyed its west towers, which were replaced only in the 20th century. Meissen lies to the northwest of Dresden, Germany in Saxony. Meissen is famous for its Meissen porcelain and the Albrechtsburg castle The following is an English translation of an excerpt from Braun's description of the city:  "This city is surrounded by very many rivers, to the east flows the Elbe, to the south the Triebisch, to the west are the mountains, to the north the Meisse, after which the city is said to be named. The city is well-situated in its surroundings, the navigable rivers, the mountains and the healthy air. Around the city there is a good land to grow grain, fertile vineyards on the hillsides and without doubt the mountains are not without ore, for one mile away, up the Elbe, is Scharfenberg, where silver and lead ore are mined.." 
  References: Van der Krogt 4, 2684; Taschen, Braun and Hogenberg...

An early 18th century hand colored engraving of a scene of the city of Venice, Italy entitled "Palazzo Lin, a. S. Samuele sopra il Canal Grande". It depicts Venetian architecture, wa...

This richly engraved map of Rome and its environs entitled "Urbis Cum Vicis Seu Pagis Adiacentibus Dissertationi III De Aq et Aqueaed Veteris Promae Praemissa Authore Raph Fabretto G...

This is an original 18th century hand-colored map entitled "A New & Correct Chart of All The Known World Laid down according to Mercator's Projection" by Emanuel Bowen. It was published in 1744 in London in John Harris's "Navigantium atque Itinerantium Bibliotheca" or "A Complete Collection of Voyages and Travels". This highly detailed and colorful map depicts the world. as it was known in the mid 18th century. A majority of the northern and central portions of Canada and America are left blank due to the purity of knowledge at the time this map was published. The map is embellished with four Compass Roses in the lower left, lower center, lower right and center, along with many rhumb lines. There a is a decorative title cartouche in the upper left. This colorful, attractive, historical and interesting 1744 map presents the entire world on Mercator's projection as it was understood in the middle part of the 18th century, before the landmark explorations of Captain’s Cook, Vancouver, Wilkes and others. It is an example of a nautical chart, a type of map that was designed specifically for use by mariners. The map is centered on the equator and includes both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. The continents of North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia are depicted, as well as various islands in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The map is laid out according to the Mercator projection, a type of cylindrical map projection that was developed in the 16th century by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator. This projection has the advantage of preserving angles and shapes, making it useful for navigation. The map presents a paucity of inland detail, particularly for the Americas, but major cities, geographical landmarks, and regions are included. Ocean currents and Tradewinds are identified, as well as the magnetic declination lines or magnetic variance, which refers to the difference between true north and compass north. The continents are color coded, enhancing the beauty of this map. The three compass roses indicate the directions of the cardinal points. The depiction of the western coast of America, the Pacific and Australia are interesting. There was very little exploration of Australia between the navigations of William Damper in 1699 and Tobias Furneaux in 1773. Most of the maps detail relies on the 17th century Dutch expeditions to Australia's western coast, by Abel Tasman and William Janszoon. Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) and New Guinea appear connected to the Australian continent. New Zealand appears as a single landmass. North of New Zealand there is a landmass labelled 'Ter d' St. Esprit' which probably represents the New Hebrides Islands. This map precedes the accurate exploration of the South Pacific and east coast of Australia by Captain James Cook later in the 18th century. The map includes ‘Drakes' Port,' the site where Sir Francis Drake supposedly landed in 1579 during his 1579 circumnavigation of the globe. Here he claimed territory for England, restocked, and repaired his vessels. Drake named the region New Albion. The exact location of Drake's Port is a cartographic mystery. Drake's Harbor is believed to be in the region of San Francisco Bay, Bodega Bay, San Pablo Bay...

This is an original 18th century hand-colored map entitled "A New & Accurate Map of Europe Drawn from the Best Authorities Assisted by the Most Improved Modern Charts and Maps." by E...

This is a scarce 17th century beautifully hand-colored copperplate engraved map of Asia entitled “Exactissima Asiae Delineatio in Praecipuas Regiones Caerterasque Partes divisa et de...

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...