Harris Schrank Fine Prints

Jacques Villon (1875-1963), Fillette Assise Dans un Tub, etching and drypoint, 1908, signed in pencil lower right and inscribed “essai” lower left margin. Reference: Ginestet and Pouillon E 231, before the edition of 35.  In excellent condition, printed in black on a heavy cream wove paper, 9 1/2 x 8, the sheet 12 3/4 x 9 7/8 inches.

A fine impression, before Villon’s name and date in the plate lower right (and thus a first state of 2). In the final state Villon darkened the etching and drypoint work in addition to adding his name and date. This impression is a more delicately rendered version of the subject, printed with a veil of plate tone.

This is from the Minne series, a group of prints made by Villon in 1907-8, portraying the young daughter of a friend in various poses. Minne’s real name was Renee, and she achieved a sort of fame four years later when Villon made his landmark cubist prints of her. In this modernist/expressionist portrait Villon explores the enigmatic character of a young girl, a subject which held much fascination for him at this early stage in his career.  Villon made two other etchings of Minne in a tub, in 1907 – these were somewhat sketchier and tentative; it is also interesting that we can see that Minne has grown a bit since those earlier efforts.

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