17th Century Jan Van De Velde Print "October" from the Months, 1618

Beautiful burin from the rare suite "The Months" performed by the artist and engraved by Claens Jansz Visscher (1587-19 June 1652). Very fresh and well contrasted, laid paper with w...

"Arch dedicated to Hercules" and "Arch dedicated to Bellerophon" Splendid and very rare etchings belonging to a suite of subjects executed for the preparations of the "Celebrations for the entry into Antwerp of the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinando of Habsburg-Spain on 17 April 1635". The sketches for the decorations were all drawn by Sir Peter Paul Rubens and the execution of the etchings was entrusted to Van Thulden. Bottom left: P.P. Rubens. Bottom right: G. Gervatius (who was commissioned to bring together the illustrations of the arches in a special volume) and Van Thulden. Laid paper with watermark - copper imprint - margins - excellent condition. At the end of 1634 Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) was invited to make a series of drawings to decorate the city of Antwerp on the occasion of the solemn entry of the infant cardinal Ferdinand of Habsburg (1609-1641) who, after his death of Archduchess Isabella Clara Eugenia (1633), Spanish governor of the southern Netherlands, had been elected as his successor. Generally in these circumstances, the itinerary was articulated through a series of stations and the city - in its main urban hubs - was adorned with decorations and ephemeral apparatuses which, without solution of continuity, covered the facades of the palaces, churches and convents facing the parade axis of the celebratory itinerary, testifying to the participatory role of the various public and private institutions that took part in the feast1. As had happened for the entrances of Charles V in 1520, of Philip II in 1549 and of the archdukes Albert and Isabella in 1599, also in this case, on 17 April 1635, the most important streets and squares of Antwerp were enriched with arrangements: temporary altars, four scenarios, a portico and large triumphal arches built in wood, over twenty meters height, decorated with paintings, sculptures and allegorical scenes. The references to the ancient alluded in this case to the greatness of the Habsburgs and to the merits of Ferdinand for the victory obtained over the Protestant armies of Sweden and their German allies. The choice to use the triumphal arch has its roots in the "city of the popes" and must be read as a connection with the triumphal and modern arches, with Rome and with the "possession" ceremony, placing the emphasis on its centuries-old use . In the elaboration of the drawings and sketches Rubens proved to be a true connoisseur of architecture, but what is most surprising about the artist is the casual use of architectural language and fidelity to sixteenth-century Roman models. In order for the memory of these works to be perpetuated over time, some artists were commissioned to etch the ephemeral apparatuses and, under the guidance of the painter Theodor van Thulden...

A beautiful pair of burin engravings depicting "Saint Bernardo degli Uberti" and "Saint Hilary of Poitiers" two of the patron saints of the city included in the base of the cupola ( dome ) of Parma cathedral frescoed by Antonio Allegri known as Correggio (Correggio, August 1489-Correggio 5 March 1534) between 1524 and 1530. Admirable work by the great master in which his genius as a forerunner of the Baroque is fully seen. In 1642 Giovanni Battista Vanni etched a series of fifteen plates from Correggio's frescoes. Giovanni Battista Vanni was born in Pisa around 1599; he studied successively under Jacopo da Empoli, Aurelio Lomi, and Matteo Rosselli, and then became a disciple of Cristofano Allori. He is better known as an engraver than as a painter. From 1624 to 1632, he lived in Rome, then returning to Florence after visiting Venice. In addition to the series of prints...

The print is part of the series consisting of forty engravings, "I mestieri per la via" (The crafts on the road), engraved by Francesco Curti (Bologna ca.1603- Bologna 1670) by an in...

Beautiful etching representing the classic religious subject of the "Adoration of the Magi" by the Baroque painter and engraver Pietro Testa known as il Lucchesino. The print derives from an oil on canvas of the same name now in Montpelier. Identified by the TPL monogram on the right and the dedication signature. Paolo Bellini in the book "L'opera incisa di Pietro Testa" (The engraving work of Pietro Testa) ,published in 1976 by Neri Pozza in Vicenza, identifies this work as an example of the third state of three since, respect to the second state, the address of Gio Giacomo Rossi is added . In the lower margin there is the dedication in Latin to: Most illustrious and most reverend (cardinal) Gerolamo Bonvisi, Cleric of the Apostolic Chamber, D.D. The star on the left often blushes with the light of evil / Kings live here so that they recognize the Lord, / happy face good star shines benignly./ Petrus Testa Pietro Testa (1611–1650) was an Italian High Baroque artist active in Rome. He is best known as a printmaker and draftsman. He was born in Lucca, and thus is sometimes called il Lucchesino. He moved to Rome early in life. One source states he was ejected from the Cortona studio in 1631, soon after joining the workshop. Others state Testa trained under Pietro Paolini or under Domenichino, for whom he worked under the patronage of Cassiano dal Pozzo. He was friends with Nicolas Poussin and Francesco Mola. Some of his etchings, which often include work in drypoint, have a fantastic quality reminiscent of Jacques Callot, or embellishments of his Genoese contemporary Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione and even presciently suggest William Blake. His Sacrifice of Iphigenia appears to have influenced Tiepolo's rendition at Villa Valmarana Ai Nani in Vicenza. His early prints, from the 1630s, were often religious and were influenced by Federico Barocci...

A French landscape by Gabriel Perelle. With a modern walnut frame Gabriel Perelle (Vernon, 1604 - Paris, 1677) was a French engraver, draftsman and printer of topographic views and landscapes. A pupil of Simon Vouet, Perelle specialized in landscapes with a classical setting, not unlike those of Francisque Millet, although with clearly decorative pretensions. He founded an etching lab, with the collaboration of his sons Nicolas and Adam. Perelle was also a pupil of Daniel Rabel and produced hundreds of engravings from his drawings, as well as compositions by fellow antagonists such as Israël Silvestre, Paul Bril, Jacques Callot, Michel Corneille the Elder, Jan Asselijn...

Antique print titled 'Het Eiland Mars of Poelo-Penjingat'. This plate shows a view of the roadstead of Riau on the island of Mars or Poelo-Penjingat, Bintan Islands, Indonesia and or...

This magnificent etching is a portrait of "Maria Luissa de Tassis", engraved by C. Vermeulen after the painting by A. Van Dyck of 1630. Van Dyck painted in 1630. Antoine Van Dyck, ...

This print shows a large waterfall near Tondano on the island of Celebes / Sulawesi, part of the Sunda Islands, Indonesia. It originates from: 'Gezigten uit Neerlands Indie, naar de ...

This plate shows a view of Batoe-Medjah / Batu-Meja on the island of Ambon (part of the Maluku Islands, Indonesia) and originates from 'Gezigten uit Neerlands Indie, naar de natuur g...

This plate shows a view of the town of Koepang / Concordia / Kupang on the Island of Timor, Indonesia and originates from: 'Gezigten uit Neerlands Indie, naar de natuur geteekend en ...

Beautiful set of 4, 17th century botanical engravings by Jan and Caspar Commelin. Presented in silver frames with hessian mounts and AR70 Artglass for optimal clarity. Jan Commelin...