Adam Elsheimer
Wenzel Hollar (1607-1677), Adam Elsheimer, etching after a painting of Elsheimer by Jan Meyssens, 1649, with text and signatures as described below. Reference: Pennington 1397, third state (of 6). In generally good condition, on laid paper with wide margins (browning toward margin edges, repaired tear upper right margin). 6 1/4 x 4 1/2, the sheet 10 3/8 x 6 1/2 inches.
Provenance: Collection of Mrs. George A. Martin, then to Baldwin-Wallace College, Berea, Ohio; de-acquistioned 2010.
A fine impression.
Adam Elsheimer (1578-1610) was an influential German painter, famed for some of his very small-scale studies, and for a number of major paintings such as his Tobias and the Angel, Stoning of St. Stephen (which influenced Rembrandt’s painting of the same subject), The Mocking of Ceres, and others. The engraver Hendrick Goudt’s prints after Elsheimer’s paintings brought fame to both Goudt and Elsheimer. After his death Elsheimer became very popular in England, and was a favorite of the Duke of Arundel, Hollar’s patron.
Jan Meyssens (1612-1670) was born in Belgium and spent most of his career in Holland, making paintings, prints, and publishing prints as well. He is known for a portrait of Hollar which Hollar etched himself, as well as portraits of others – portraits of painters such as that of Elsheimer appears to have been one of his specialties.
The first and second states of this print were published in 1649; the third state in 1661. In the second state corrections were made to the text below; in the third state the publisher’s address was changed and the notation W. Hollar fecit added (not by Hollar). This is a lifetime state; the fifth and sixth were posthumous.
Detail