HARRIS SCHRANK FINE PRINTS » Wenzel Hollar

Young Woman with a Cap with a Feather

Harris Schrank — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 21:31:43 +0000

Wenzel Hollar (1607-1677), Young Woman with a Cap with a Feather, etching, 1647, after Holbein. Reference: Pennington 1550, first state (of 2) [annotation in the plate: HHolbein inv, WHollar fec: A.A. Bierling excud: 1647]. In very good condition, trimmed just outside of the platemark all around, on an old laid paper, hinged (with glue?) at the top, partial unidentified watermark, 5 1/4 x 3 5/8 inches.

A fine impression.

Pennington notes that A.B. Chamberlain in his Hans Holbein the Younger, 1913, says that no original for this print is known, and that it appears in J.M. M’Creery’s Collection of 1816.

Pennington notes that in the second state of this print a number 8 is added to the bottom right corner.

This print will be sold with a later impression on wove paper which, curiously, also does not have the 8 in the bottom right corner; it is conceivable that this too is a first state and that the added “8″ was posthumous; more likely it was burnished out of this example. The second impression is interesting insofar as it shows the wear not found in the fine lifetime impression.

Mulier Diepana – from the Theatrum Mulierum and Aula Veneris

Harris Schrank — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 21:58:53 +0000

Wenzel Hollar (1607-1677) Mulier Diepana – from the Theatrum Mulierum and Aula Veneris, etching, 1649,[signed and dated in the plate (with the title below and the words Ein Normandische Fraw von Diepen added by Hollar in the plate above]. Reference: Pennington 1874, second state (or possibly third) of 3. In excellent condition, on laid paper with thread margins, 3 5/8 x 2 3/8 inches.

A fine impression.

Hollar’s set of about 105 images of women’s fashions from various countries is one of an even larger group of miniature costumed portraits. The underlying motives for publishing these sets, and even the methods of publishing, are today unclear; there is uncertainty as to the number of separate issues and their dates. It appears that at one time Hollar intended to produce a continuous series of 100 prints, but they were issued in parts over a period of years. The first half is called the Theatrum Mulierum, and these prints have English subtitles; the rest is the Aula Veneris, and this became a continental series (Hollar was probably in Antwerp when they were made). It is not possible to say exactly how many prints were in the Aula Veneris, but it’s about 50. What we can say with assurance is that the portraits, or at least this example, were finely etched, and if the subjects of each portrait were not themselves charming (and in this case, perhaps a smile would help), the etching surely well documented the fashion of the times.

Adam Elsheimer

Harris Schrank — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 21:02:28 +0000

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

Joannes Roelants

Harris Schrank — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:55:00 +0000

Wenzel Hollar (1607-1677), Joannes Roelants, etching, 1648. Reference: Pennington 1496, third state (of 3) [with the title lettering and Hollar initials and date in the space below]. In good condition, trimmed irregularly on or inside the platemark, a bit inside the borderline lower right, a thin spot lower left verso. On laid paper, with a partial Foolscap watermark.3 1/2 x 4 7/8 inches.

Provenance: unknown collector (initials in yellow ink verso, not found in Lugt)

A very good impression.

The Roelants family were the Imperial Postmasters in the Netherlands; Hollar made portraits of a number of family members.

Detail

Charles I

Harris Schrank — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:12:38 +0000

Wenzel Hollar (1607-1677), Charles I, etching, 1644. Reference: Pennington 1686, third state (of 3) [with initials WH fec in the plate]. On laid paper, In adequate condition, a pinhole in the wide margin at bottom away from image, slight staining in spots, with small margins top and sides, larger bottom, 9 7/8 x 7 3/4, the sheet 11 1/2 x 8 inches, archival matting.

A fair impression printed in 1705 for the frontispiece of Edward Walker’s Historical Discourses, with lettering verso (showing through slightly).

Charles I is pictured bareheaded, in armor, holding a baton; in the background between the horse’s feet are battalions of cavalry and infantry.

Detail

Henry van der Borcht, Painter, 1648, after Meyssens

Harris Schrank — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:58:56 +0000

Wenzel Hollar (1607-1677) etching Henry van der Borcht, Painter, 1648, after Meyssens. Reference: Pennington 1365, second state of five. Impressions were taken in a first edition in 1649, then some corrections were made to the inscription in the margin at the bottom before the second edition in 1661 (most notably, the “de Prince of Walles” was changed to “du Prince of Galles”). This impression is from this second, but still lifetime, edition. (In later, posthumous editions the plate was re-worked and numbers were added.)

A fine early lifetime impression, in good condition apart from slight foxing (mostly on verso), some thin spots (also on verso), with margins, 6 1/2 x 4 1/2 (sheet 8 x 5 3/4) inches, archival mounting.

Hollar’s patron in England was the Earl of Arundel, who had a major art collection. Henry van der Borcht (1614-1654) was the son of the Earl’s art curator; he was a painter and occasional etcher. Hollar thus knew him for four or five years, before leaving England when Arundel died, in 1646. At that point (now in Antwerp), Hollar made etchings of the paintings in the Earl’s collection.

Henry holds in his hand a book open to a plate of the Descent From the Cross by Raphael. This design was at the time attributed to Raphael, but is probably not by him.

This is from a series of portraits painted by Meyssens that included a portrait of Hollar himself.

Henry van Craenhals

Harris Schrank — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:49:22 +0000

Wenzel Hollar (1606-1677), Henry van Craenhals, etching, 1644. Reference: Pennington 1381. Probably first state (of 4). In good condition apart from reinforcement in blank area lower left, trimmed on or just outside of the platemark. On old laid paper with a top of a crown watermark, 5 1/2 x 3 3/4 inches.

A very good impression.

Provenance: the former London Old Master Print firm of Craddock and Barnard, still in their mat, with the Barnard annotations.

G.A. Cardew (with his stamp verso, Lugt 1134)

Leonard Baskin (with his stamp verso)

A previous cataloguer (probably Barnard) has noted in pencil verso that this watermark is exactly the same as that of the impression of this print in the British Museum, but that this impression is more worn. Still, the lightly bitten areas such as the collar show all the detailed lines. According to Pennington even the first state shows some wear and some reworking in the hair. Aside from the numeral “12″ which was added in the second state and taken off in the third, there were no changes in the plate except for re-working; given the watermark, paper, and good detailing we believe this is a first state, but it could be a third or fourth.

Air

Harris Schrank — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:02:28 +0000

Wenzel Hollar (1606-1677), Air, 1647, after Petrus van Avont, from the Four Elements. [signed and dated W. Hollar 1647 lower right and inscribed P. van Avont inu lower left in the plate] Reference: Pennington 522, third state (of 3). In good condition (a thin spot upper left verso), on laid paper, trimmed outside of the borderline all around, 5 1/2 x 8 1/8 inches.

Provenance: the London firm of Craddock and Barnard, still in their mat, with the Barnard annotations.

A fine strong impression of this whimsical representation of the element Air.

Hollar (1607-1677) had learned etching as a gentlemanly pursuit before, as a Protestant, having to leave Catholic Prague when he was 20. For nine years he worked in various German towns, mostly producing topographical prints and drawings. In 1636 while in Cologne he joined the entourage of the Earl of Arundel, with whom he returned to England. After the Earl’s death in 1646 Hollar went to Antwerp, where he made the etchings after Avont’s Four Elements.

Besagno

Harris Schrank — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:56:07 +0000

Wenzel Hollar (1607-77), Besagno, etching, 1665. Reference: Pennington 1095, third state (of 3). [signed W. Hollar fec: 1665 lower right; and with the publisher's address lower left: Philip Lea in Cheapside ex]. There may have been a fourth state but it has not been identified. In good condition, trimmed at the platemark, 2 1/2 x 4 inches.

A very good impression of this small gem, with the reflection of the houses in the water fairly glowing.

Provenance: Collection of Leonard Baskin, with his stamp verso.

In his later years Hollar made lots of maps, portraits and picturesque scenes such as Besagno. According to Richard Godfrey, his industry was legendary. Godfrey quoted Place discussing Hollar: “he did all by the hour in which he was very exact for if anybody came in that kept him from his business he always laid ye hour glass on one side, till they were gone, he always received 12 pence an hour.”

The third state address of Philip Lea indicates that this print was printed in or after 1688, the year Lea is known to have been located at Cheapside; therefore this impression would be posthumous.

$330