Schwarz, Ign(az). (Catalogue of the Ridinger Collection of Rudolf Ritter von Gutmann.) 4to. XX, 210; XI, 169 pp. With (inside the text put on over those which were already printed along with the text as generally for the Arabic numbered copies)

Finely richly gilt orig. calf-vellum on 5 ribs with two dark red back plates and equal floral ornaments with gilt lines in the free fields, even

gilt  capital  ribbons ,

twofold double line floral corner pieces at the inner and rosette in the outer square resp., all in gold, the

marbled fly-leaves à la Pompadour parts of Gutmann’s legendary Marjoribanks Folios as passed through here, too, in marbled orig. slipcases lined with Moiré. Gilt edges.

The  noblest  curtsey  of  literature  to  the  master’s  œuvre , a defilé right across the work filled up with illustrations , the  undispensible  definitive  catalogue beside  Thienemann  and  beyond  him .

Here then in vellum and on parchment-like paper, not “on parchment” as in the imprint. – Slipcases minimally rubbed, the backs of the volumes themselves faded to a fine white, otherwise

shining  in  almost  impeccable , untouched  freshness .

See the complete description.

Offer no. 28,886  /  price on request

The same  as no. 105 of the ordinary edition with illustrations + plates in conventional manner. Cloth with leather-back-plate and vellum-like orig. frontwrappers along with one of the back ones bound with. Vol. I on Japan, vol. II on plain paper. – Fine copy.
Offer no. 14,670

Vos estis Lux Mundi Matth. 5. V. 14. After details of two oils by Peter Paul Rubens (Siegen 1577 – Antwerp 1640). Inscribed: Rubens pinx. / Ioh. Elias Ridinger excud. Aug. Vind., otherwise as before. 55.4 cm sheet height x 47.4 cm width platemark. – See the initial illustration.

Th. 1289; Counts Faber-Castell 116 (“Rare”, 1958); Rosenberg, Rubens, 2^nd ed. (1906), 230 + 288 (erroneously paginated 228) with illustrations.

Not  in Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue I-XXVIII (1838/57) , Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.) , Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900) , Schwarz (1910) , Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940) .

with all marks of 250 years passing through the waves of time. All in all certainly close to be a ruin, but just as certain that in many cases ruins can be positive about very charming view. Just as in the present case

the  pictorial  charm  of  this  sympathetic  sujets

by which Ridinger after references to, i. a., Watteau, Roelant Savery, Jacob van Ruisdael once more shows his – here decidedly ingenious – proficiency to use influences which like princely and aristocratic dynasties just run through the arts, too, as already Goethe admitted for his own work.

Here then after Rubens. But while Thienemann – “The idea taken from Rubens’ painting” – just thinks of one model there are at least two.

(Otto Modersohn notes in his diary in 1897 quoted after catalog exhibition Fischerhude, 1978, page 347).

Here then Ridinger’s fully autonomous composition set under the beautiful word from the Sermon of the Mount

“ You  are  the  World’s  Light ”

in ideas taken from two works of Rubens. And by this of additional documenting value with – for both Ridinger and Rubens – together high-ranking rarity. – See the complete description.

Offer no. 14,872 / EUR  670. / Export price EUR  637. (c. US$ 1033.) + shipping

Inscribed: Ioh. Iacob Ridinger sculps. / Ioh. El. Ridinger del. A. V., otherwise as before. 50.5 x 36.9 cm.

Thienemann + Schwarz 1270 (comp. Schwarz II, pl. XLI as “Variant”, recte first state, 1488); Counts Faber-Castell (1958) 108.

Not  in Weigel, Art Stock Catalog I-XXVIII (1838/57; there only per 18,543 a Pastor bonus in octavo) , Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.) , Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900), Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940) . – See the complete description.

Offer no. 14,876 / EUR  1995. / Export price EUR  1895. (c. US$ 3072.) + shipping

Mary with the Child . – Joseph with the Child . Each in half length figure in large oval medallion, fit into the subject though not drawn throughout, with the nestling child in the arms. In clouds above both couple of angel heads, Mary irradiated by 7 stars, Joseph with elliptic gloriole and lily stalk. 55.4 x 39 and 56.3 x 38.9 cm resp.

Th.-Stillfried (1876; pendants, 56 x 39 cm) + Schwarz (56 x 38.1 cm) 1412/13; Counts Faber-Castell (1958) 137/38; Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940), 431/32.

Not  in  Thienemann (1856) , Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue I-XXVIII (1838/57) , Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.) , Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900) .

The  great  pendants  of  intimate  familiarity + security ,

with so far no inscription known, thereby the former with margins 1.5-4 cm wide with watermark WANGEN as standing for contemporary impressions, the latter, equal in quality, supposedly the same, as trimmed to subject and mounted not to be verified though.
Offer no. 14,871 / EUR  1980. / Export price EUR  1881. (c. US$ 3049.) + shipping

S. Franciscus Seraphicus. Saint Francis of Assisi in three-quarter figure to the right, meditating before opened book with inscription “DEUS MEUS ET OMNIA.”, death’s-head  + crucified seraph beside boulder overgrown with grass on top. The right of the folded hands with stigma. Inscribed: Ioh. Iac. Ridinger sculps. / Ioh. El. Ridinger exc. Aug. Vind. / S. | FRANCISCUS | SERAPHICUS. (in the upper loop of the otherwise empty mussel-shaped cartouche in the broad lower edge). 54.6 x 42.5 cm.

Compare  Thienemann 1288 (c. 52.6 x 39.1 cm; without the engraver’s signature of Johann Jacob and only “A. V.” instead of “Aug. Vind.”; not mentioned book inscription + rock staffage; comp. Schwarz 1543, however not identical with Schwarz 1288 just for the format) – Schwarz 1288 (61.8 x 49.5 cm; without the book inscription, but with the boulder background; shortened signature as Th. 1288, its identity provisionally questioned by Schwarz) – Schwarz 1543 (56.4 x 41.2 cm; with book inscription, but without the boulder, shortened signature as before, but “excud.” instead of only “exc.”). – Faber-Castell 115 (negligently as version Schwarz 1288). – As erroneously taking Th. + Schwarz 1288 for identical not in Wend, (Additions to the Definitive Catalogues of Prints), I/1 (1975).

Not in Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, pts. I-XXVIII (1838/57), Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.), Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger, 1900), Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

(1182-1226) in warming rough vestment the cowl turned back with clear reference to his vision of a crucified seraph who “impressed (on him) under burning pain Jesus’ stigmata from which got the name of the  seraphic  father , his order that of the seraphic brothers.

… and Paul V obliged all catholic ministers to the celebration of this” (Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 4^th ed., VI, 588). Already two years after his death St. Francis, likewise honored by Catholics, Protestants, and even non-Christians for “his unique simplicity and a pure grace of spirit” (Paul Sabatier, Life of St. Francis of Assisi), was canonized by Gregory IX, former Cardinal Ugolino and cardinal governor of the Franciscan order.

According to current knowledge Ridinger dedicated eight versions or variants resp. to the saint, five of which in close following to the 1288 sujet (besides those already discussed including the present one the reduced copy of Schwarz 1288 per Stillfried/Schwarz 1423, 34.4 x 23.7 cm), two generally connected with the theme (1339, 34.1 x 22.9 cm + Schwarz 1544, 64 x 45.3 cm), and Schwarz 1542 as completely independent (49.9 x 37.6 cm).

Common to all by the way their virtually entire missing on the market. Of those known to literature only Thienemann 1339 occurred in the well-equipped mezzotint section of Rosenthal’s Ridinger offer from 1940 (no. 420) + 1958 at Faber-Castell (123).

Present in very fine, nuance-rich impression. The latter especially with regard to the coat dismissed by Thienemann as “rough hairy” which here in the meaning of Ridinger’s treatment of coat praised by Wolf Stubbe looks rather precious. And the intellectual content of the physical message reflected by the chiaroscuro.

The surrounding margin unevenly trimmed between the short extreme of 1 mm and 15 mm with mostly 10-15 mm on three sides. Two longer and three short traces of tears, each only minute, professionally restored and therefore without noticeably impairing of the also with respect to preservation very fine general impression. Backed besides three tiny tears in the white margin.
Offer no. 14,860 / EUR  1730. / Export price EUR  1644. (c. US$ 2665.) + shipping

S. Ambrose. After Alessandro Marchesini (1664 Verona 1738, active in Verona, Venice, Padua). Inscribed: Marchesin pinxit a Venetia. / Ioh. Iacob Ridinger sc. / Ioh. El. Ridinger exc. A. V., otherwise in the upper cavity of the mussel-shaped cartouche S. | AMBROSIUS. 53.2 cm sheet height x 41.3 cm width platemark.

Schwarz 1532; Faber-Castell 171; Wend, (Additions to the Definitive Catalogues of Prints), I/1 (1975), 206.

Not in Thienemann (1856), Stillfried (1876), Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, pts. I-XXVIII (1838/57), Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.), Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900), Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

and compositional pendant to the following St. Hieronymus as also associated with Treves, too, after Marchesini likewise.

“ Famous Doctor of the Church, born  about  340  at  Treves  as son of a Roman Prefectus Pretorio (Galliarum as one ‘of the highest of Roman public offices’), was administrator in Rome until the governorship of Upper Italy was conferred on him. Though not yet baptized he had to accept the election for bishop of Milan in 374 … his differentiation of the general and the perfect duties, among which he e.g. reckoned celibacy, is of influence … by his choral poetry he became

the  Father  of  Latin  Hymnology .”

(Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 4^th ed., I (1889), 449 f.).

Died April 4, 397, and – so the Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (Bautz Verlag, 2002, with besides “about 333, probably also only 340”, another source deems 339 as possible, as year of birth) continuing –

descending from one “of the oldest noble families of Rome”. – See the complete description.

Offer no. 14,867 / EUR  685. / Export price EUR  651. (c. US$ 1055.) + shipping

S. Franc. de Pavla Fvnd. Ord. Minimor. / Ordinavit in me Charitatem. Cant. 2. Cap. St. Francis of Paula,

founder of the monastic order of Minims closely connected with the “grey” Franciscan friars ,

as half-length figure in brown habit to the left. Looking up trustingly, the right presses a sheet with the inscription CHARITAS against the chest while the left holds the knotty stick as symbol of the wandering beggar. Inscribed: Ioh. El. Ridinger exc. Aug. Vind., otherwise as above. 51.6 x 42.3 cm.

Th.-Stillfried (1876) 1416 ( “A very fine sheet” ); Counts Faber-Castell (1958) 140. – With Schwarz (1910) under same number with question mark affixed only one with 73 x 55.7 cm larger variant before the letter of the also there mussel plate of the wood emboss and an “excud.” contrary to present “exc.” corresponding with Stillfried, too (“With respect to the measures diverging from St. … barely identical with 1416”).

Not  in  Thienemann (1856) , Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue I-XXVIII (1838/57) , Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.) , Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900) , Schwarz (1910; see above) , Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

Two sides with mostly 5 mm margin, below 2 cm, on the right fine little margin getting close to the platemark on 3 cm. Generally rubbed and slightly time-marked with three backed margin tears, one of which reaching into the subject for 5.5 cm. At the back waterstreak at the upper and upper right lateral edge.

Even  surpassing  the  Order  of  St.  Francis  in  strictness  the  order  of  the  Minims

(Minimi fratres Eremitae) was founded by Franciscus de Paula (Paola, Calabria, 1416 – Plessis lès Tours 1507, his day is April 2) in 1435 and acknowledged as congregation by Sixtus IV in 1474.

“ The grant of all privileges of the mendicant orders … as well as the canonization of its founder (1519) contributed a lot to its spreading. In the middle of the 18^th century (the order) had more than 450 monasteries with 25,000 religious in 31 provinces ”

(Meyers Konv.-Lex., 4^th ed., XI, 660/1).
Offer no. 14,960 / EUR  930. / Export price EUR  884. (c. US$ 1433.) + shipping

before  the more elliptic gloriole and the “No. 15” below of the title as marks of the reworked plate (Schwarz 1264a) in very fine impression of shining chiaroscuro. Inscribed: Iohann Elias Ridinger sculps. et excud. Aug. Vind., otherwise as before. 51 x 37.5 cm.

Thienemann + Schwarz 1264; Counts Faber-Castell (1958) 106. – Not in Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue I-XXVIII (1838/57) , Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.) , Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900) , Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

The final sheet of the completely extremely rare 4-sheet set of the evangelists of which also Faber-Castell had but 3 sheets, and count Radulf only 2 sheets (his S. Matthew following here). – With partially slightly (at the back somewhat more) stained margins of 5 (below) up to 10 mm round about, in this upper right written “40” in brown ink. – Smoothed horizontal center fold and vertical trace of glue, both visible at the back only. Isolated pin(head)-fine tiny holes in the margin parts, only one left of the head perceptible as a little larger.

THE  FINE  MOTIF  with the eagle represented in active great side pose as one of the four (Ezekiel) cherubim as

“ Symbol(s)  of  the  creation  worshipping  and  praising  God ,

in  which  God  reveals  himself  …

In the bible the cherubim appear as guardians of the paradise after the fall of man … while … in Christian art (they) develop to attributes of the four evangelists ”

(Meyers Konv.-Lex., 4^th ed., III, 999/2).
Offer no. 14,957 / EUR  730. / Export price EUR  694. (c. US$ 1125.) + shipping

S. Matthew. The left resting on closed folio, below of which a genius suggestively – though “as a little anachronism”, so Thienemann – keeps ready pen + inkstand. Inscribed: Ioh. Elias Ridinger sculps. et excud. Aug. Vind., otherwise in German as above. 51.2 x 37.4 cm.

Thienemann + Schwarz 1261; Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940), no. 415; Counts Faber-Castell (1958) 104.

Not in Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue I-XXVIII (1838/57) , Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.) , Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900). – See the complete description.

Offer no. 14,958 / EUR  390. / Export price EUR  371. (c. US$ 601.) + shipping

S Catharina. The St Catherine of Alexandria frontally to the right in the glory with pearls + diadem, the palm leaf of the martyrs in the raised left and the right resting on the sword grip as symbol of her dying. Behind her the broken wheel. Mezzotint. Inscribed: Ioh. Elias Ridinger excud. Aug. Vind., otherwise, in large shell cartouche in the lower margin, as above. 57 x 41.2 cm.

Schwarz 1554 with illustration; Counts Faber-Castell (1958) 178.

Not in Thienemann (1856) , Stillfried (1876) , Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue I-XXVIII (1838/57), Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.), Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900), Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

Not provenance Faber-Castell/Castell-Rüdenhausen. – Per corner mounting by old hand laid on heavy hand-made paper slightly browned at two outer margins. – On the right with tiny paper margin, below mostly the same, top + left trimmed on platemark nearly throughout. Little worm trace in the free outer field top right.

The  excellent  copy  in  regard  of  printing  and  conservation

of a cultivated collection of perfectly bright chiaroscuro in all parts. And in such a manner of quite extraordinary rarity not only on the market as quoted above, but in general, too. And just then also described by Schwarz (Collection Baron von Gutmann) for the first time in 1910.

The  also  pictorially  timelessly  sympathetic  representation  of  that  scholar

of the legend brought to Europe by the crusaders, who, of Cypriot-princely blood, excelled by her intelligence the 50 pagan philosophers summoned up by Emperor Maxentius, and instead converted them to Christianity. With the result of her being sentenced to death by the wheel. Which then broke. So that she was beheaded in 307 A.D. November 25 is dedicated to her churchly commemoration. But throughout the year she is adored by “the philosophers and learned schools as patroness” (Meyers Konvers.-Lex., 4^th ed., IX, 611).

While quite topically though “already since some time (the) historians (have) rediscovered … (and) scientifically reanimated” her as a member of that “exclusive company of heavenly intervenists – or spoken protestantly: heavenly models – ” (Peter Burschel reviewing of Brad Stephan Gregory’s “Salvation at Stake – Christian Martyrdom in Early Modern Europe” in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung of Aug. 2, 2000).
Offer no. 28,401 / EUR  1892. / Export price EUR  1797. (c. US$ 2913.) + shipping

The Holy Family. Dominant triple relationship of Mary with the sleeping child on her arm, whose right points at the Ecce Agnus Dei as banderole around the cross beam of the child St. John as his later Baptist kissing his right foot, looked at in thoughts by Joseph holding a book with both his hands. In the inscription plate below mussel-cartouche likewise left empty. Inscribed: Ioh. El. Ridinger excud. A.V. Subject size 53 x 40.8 cm.

Comp. Schwarz 1484 with plate II, XXXIX; Counts Faber-Castell (1958) 166 without indication as variant to Schwarz.

Not in  Thienemann (1856) , Stillfried (1876) , Weigel, Art Stock Catalog I-XXVIII (1838/57) , Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.) , Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900) , Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

Of rich chiaroscuro it obviously is the second state of Schwarz 1484 – “Similar, but not identical with Th. 1280” – with less nuance in the details. Here trimmed to platemark on three sides it has to be left undecided if the difference in height constituted by the pictureless filling area above of Mary + Joseph results from a shortening of the plate or individual trimming of the paper.

Beyond proven rarity and moreover undescribed state of preprogrammed scarcity … as above and by Thienemann then not even found in Dresden and so just not only, overlapping generations, remained unknown to Thienemann + Stillfried, rather in this second state, now documented here for the first time, even still further decades later to Schwarz.
Offer no. 14,961 / EUR  970. / Export price EUR  921. (c. US$ 1493.) + shipping

Saint Jerome. The inspiration of the saint. Three-quarter figure as hermit to the right with bare chest at a table with two folios, the left holding a quill resting on the opened right one of which. Right beside the inkstand, left of the table crucifix leaning against large cardinal hat. The hat itself leaning against double bookshelf. On this folios, hour-glass , death’s-head + torture scourge of Christ’s. The saint himself looking towards the back upper left from where the trombone of the Last Judgement conveys inspiration to him. The lion looking sternly from below of the table. The whole within a frame with floral corner pieces. Below concluding large mussel-shaped cartouche within broad inscription field for entries of individual kind which both have been left empty here as the norm for the preserved copies. Mezzotint. Inscribed: in the mussel-shaped cartouche set into the upper ledge of the frame S. HIERONYMUS. / right below between the frame’s ledge and inscription field Ioh. Elias Ridinger excud. Aug. Vind. 57.8 x 42.3 cm.

Compare Schwarz 1549 (51.1 x 38.5 cm; variant in writing: “Elias” abbreviated after “l”, otherwise see below); Faber-Castell 177 (negligently as Schwarz 1549); Wend, (Additions to the Definitive Catalogues of Prints), I/1 (1975), 230 (as Schwarz).

Not in Thienemann (1856), Stillfried (1876), Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, pts. I-XXVIII (1838/57), Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.), Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900), Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

Enlarged + reversed  copy  of  Schwarz  1549  not  known  to  literature

on toned laid paper with watermark fleur-de-lis, probably contemporary, but also rather later. Noticeable that the enlarged format orients by other sheets of saints by Ridinger as e. g. the cardinal Jerome mezzotinted by Johann Jacob after Alessandro Marchesini (Schwarz 1548, see below), though without the latter being “framed” likewise, or that of St. Mark Stillfried 1404, at which a note of Castell’s at the back of the present sheet points because of a similar scenery, by the way also lion  and  death’s-head.

Marvelous deep-brown impression with margins of 1.5-2 cm running around of perfect preservation with partial minimal touch of tiny foxing spots, three little rust spots feebly showing through from the back, and four small to tiny holes backed by old at the upper margin of the subject, reverse lower left remains of mounting, as nothing to reckoned at all. – On the underlay carton besides Castell’s reference to Gutmann (Schwarz) still another inscription by a different hand. The sheet seems to have been acquired in the English trade.

Interesting  present  consideration  of  all  attributes  of  St.  Jerome

as the oversized cardinal hat joins the hermit and the lion the death’s-head. Rather it is hermit  or cardinal + lion  or death’s-head as then also in Ridinger’s representation of the Marchesini painting above as cardinal and just with the lion whom Jerome once had relieved of a thorn in the paw.
Offer no. 14,865 / EUR  485. / Export price EUR  461. (c. US$ 747.) + shipping

The  Cardinal-Hieronymus

Saint Jerome. As cardinal to receive his inspiration by the angel standing behind his seat. This just came forth from the heavy curtain – standing for the curtain of life, since the middle-ages then also symbol of the mysterious – still held back by the raised left. The right of the saint holds a quill in interruption of writing in the folio resting on his right leg. On the little table beside cardinal hat + inkstand scourge as instrument of torture of Christ’s. Left at his feet the front of the peacefully resting lion. After Alessandro Marchesini (1664 Verona 1738, active in Verona, Venice, Padua). Inscribed: Marchesini pinxit a Venetia. / Ioh. Iac. Ridinger sculps. / Ioh. Elias Ridinger exc. A. V., otherwise in the upper cavity of the mussel-shaped cartouche S. | HIERONYMUS. Subject size 55.7 x 42.5 cm.

Schwarz 1548 (variant in writing: “Iacob” + “I. El. … excud.”); Faber-Castell 176 (without mentioning of the variant as against Schwarz); Wend, (Additions to the Definitive Catalogues of Prints), I/1 (1975), 229 (variant in writing: “Iac.” as here, otherwise as Schwarz).

Not in Thienemann (1856), Stillfried (1876), Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, pts. I-XXVIII (1838/57), Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.), Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900), Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

in very fine impression of rich contrast with variant in writing, below, however, and parallel to the Ambrose sheet, trimmed under loss of 2 cm within the inscription field with mussel-shaped cartouche reserved for entries of individual kind, though usually left empty and here therefore obviously deemed dispensable for the picture. The otherwise tiny(est) margin running around on three sides partly cracky on two sides, here and there up to the edge of the subject. In the subject itself – numbered in its right upper corner with red chalk pen “80.” – some folds + little pleats, under passepartout at the latest of definitely pleasing general impression, not least with respect to the rarity of these sheets as then already 1839 those by Ridinger after Marchesini remained unknown to Nagler (VIII, 304).

Pure core of ecclesiastical history to whose most prominent doctors Jerome (Stridon/Sdrin, Croatia, about 340/42 – Bethlehem 420 [419?]) loaded with a youthful past reckons.

“ … he (is) not only the most scholarly, but also the most eloquent among the Western Doctors … (and) in his biographies of St. Paul, Hilary, Malchus (he has)

right  actually  invented  the  pious  novel ”

(Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 4^th ed., VIII (1888), 524.).

In his early years “he  stayed  for  some  time  at  Treves” in whose famous schools he continued his studies and got acquainted to monastic life. His episcopal chirotony is reported in the legends of the 15^th century as dignity of Cardinal referred to here by the cardinal hat. 386 he took is permanent residence in Bethlehem where he founded a monastery and nunneries.

“ Here H. gave the first example of a monkhood that makes the cultivation of sciences and literature its chief duty. He (translated, having command of seven languages, essential parts of the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into Latin [Vulgata],) wrote quite a number of commentaries on Old and New Testament, valuable publications of archeological content, legends of saints and monks … ”

(Meyers op. cit.).

So he became, in his ranking likely compared with Augustine,

patron  of  scientific  associations ,

of teachers, students + pupils, of the theological faculties + Bible societies, but

also  against  eye-diseases ,

furthermore of Dalmatia + Lyon. September 30 as his dying day is considered his memorial day by Christian religions, for the Orthodox it is June 15.

This purpose of life and its standing is reflected by the present sheet just as by the lion belonging inseparably to him, whom he once had removed a thorn from his paw. For the lion-immortalizing Ridingers the lion attribute bound to him was a dainty addition anyway in their work of saints widely quite unjustly carped at.
Offer no. 14,866 / EUR  790. / Export price EUR  751. (c. US$ 1217.) + shipping

Mary with the Child at the Ionic column. Half-length portrait. Looking up in rich robe supported by fine chiaroscuro with the child looking out of the picture in the right arm with the left one participating. Below ornamented cartouche in wide text margin with just the signature inscribed. Done supposedly by Johann Jacob Ridinger. Inscribed: Ioh. El. Ridinger excud. Aug. Vind. 64.6 x 48 cm.

Comp. Schwarz 1521; Counts Faber-Castell (1958) 170 without identification as variant to Schwarz; Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940), no. 441.

Not  in  Thienemann (1856) , Stillfried (1876) , Weigel, Art Stock Catalog I-XXVIII (1838/57) , Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.) , Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900) .

VARIANT  DESCRIBED  HERE  FOR  THE  FIRST  TIME

to the with just 62.4 x 44.3 cm smaller Schwarz copy which in addition bears the engraver’s signature of Johann Jacob in the lower margin left. That of Johann Elias, in conformity placed right outside, deviating in the abbreviation of the first Christian name limited to the “I.” with Schwarz. If and in case which of these two versions corresponds with the Rosenthal copy has to be left undecided for lack of specifications there beyond an “imp. fol.”.

With margin running about of a scant 1 up to 1.5 cm wide. – Mounted on cloth for partial abrasions, perceptible with the unarmed eye here and there only and barely impairing the optical general impression, as not yet noted for the 1958 sale, causing slight pleats in the mostly unessential lower subject. – At the back presumably by hand of count Radulf in pencil

“ For  the  rarest  Ridinger  sheets ”.

Offer no. 14,962 / EUR  970. / Export price EUR  921. (c. US$ 1493.) + shipping

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Archangel Gabriel with rich retinue appearing to Our Lady sitting with an open book at a table before a tent, pointing to the Holy Spirit – the dove – by which Mary is enlightened (St. Luke 1, 26-37). The beam of enlightment enlarged with the IHS. Mary with glory of nine stars as symbol of pregnancy. On the right archway, below walls with vault and steps. The angels with, i. a., rosary, ring, and iris as the signs of later assumption. Mezzotint by surely Johann Jacob Ridinger (1736 Augsburg 1784) after Johann Georg Bergmüller. Inscribed in italics lower left: Joh. Georg Bergmiler pinxit / Joh. Elias Ridinger excud. 63 x 44.7 cm.

Schwarz (1910) 1516 (but not acquired along with the Horn collection in 1903, see below); Wend (1975), Ergänzungen zu den Œuvreverzeichnissen der Druckgrafik, 1,1, 173 with reference to Schwarz.

Not  in Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, division I-XXVIII (1838/57) , Thienemann (and therewitth not in the Dresden Printroom, too; 1856) + Count Stillfried (1876) , Coppenrath Collection (1889/90) , R. collection at Wawra (1890) , R. catalogue Helbing (1900; 1554 nos.) , R. list Rosenthal (1940; 444 nos.), collection of the counts of Faber-Castell (1958; 106 drawings + 1160 prints) and others more.

The pendant to Ridinger’s Adoration of the Shepherds Schwarz 1486 seamlessly fitting in

and surely leading a uniform Ridinger-Bergmüller chain of events with furthermore an Adoration of the Kings (1406) and the Flight into Egypt (1482). All in the practically same size and

presenting  themselves  as  specially  worked  pictures  for  the  wall ,

therefore without so-called thesis strip below – in the 18^th century “mostly as blanc strip with integrated middle cartouche” (Teuscher in Die Künstlerfamilie Rugendas 1666-1858, p. 295) – for individual inscription on special occasions as the rule for the Saints sheets as marks of their designation as art for daily use.

Bergmüller (Türkheim 1688 – Augsburg 1762) is known to the Ridinger collector especially by his portrait of Ridinger with Diana worked in mezzotint by Johann Jakob Haid (Th. XX, 2, available here per 15,185 + 15,221). Generally an estimated portrait painter he also worked – as episcopal cabinet painter – history pictures and frescos of mostly spiritual content. Among the latter Thieme-Becker mention four ceiling frescos on the life of Our Lady in the Pollheim chapel of the cathedral at Augsburg and a cyclus in 17 parts on the Passion in the Kreuzkirche.

“ As fresco-painter Bergmüller throws the bridge from the romanicism of the 17^th century to the classicism of the late 18^th century. By him

Augsburg  became  a  leading  center  of  arts

in the southern area … until the beginning of the twenties mostly engaged as painter (high altar) … In his mature work voluminous plastic figures are acting … ”

(Allgemeines Künstler-Lexikon IX [1994], 417).

Available here moreover

in  greatest  perfection

as widely so unobtainable for even just most ambitious collectors. Raised enormously as

an  item  next  to  impossible !

A “Holy Virgin with a ten-star halo reading in a book” as half-length figure worked as thesis sheet with cartouche and the inscription S. MARIAE MATER AMABILIS in the Silesian collection above (no. 2038, 57 x 41 cm).

With watermarks WANGEN + crown with appendix FAvI (ligated) as known for excellent early Ridinger states and mounted at five points on heavy handmade paper with typographic two-liner watermark. – On the lower left trimmed almost to the platemark, otherwise with fine margins of up to 2 mm and

of  almost  un-touched , best  preserved  freshness

and in such a way not only a Ridinger unknown to most, but also and at all

a  Ridinger  which  to  miss  would  leave  you  poor .

Offer no. 15,261  /  price on request

The Adoration of the Shepherds (St. Luke 2, 1-20). In the fron t on the right on a straw box the child held by Mary at his arm, behind her the announcing angel Gabriel and, to the middle, Joseph. On the left the group of the three shepherds, one holding a sheep. Above of the mortals in and beyond the clouds many putti, carrying in anticipation the crown of thorns , nails , spear and cross

as  spectacular  view  on  the  fullfilling  of  Good Friday

but still being held back by the archangel in view of the szenery at the crib. In the middle on the left another group of approaching shepherds. On the right outline of the stable. Mezzotint by surely Johann Jacob Ridinger (1736 Augsburg 1784) supposedly after Johann Georg Bergmüller. Inscribed in italics lower left: Joh. Elias Ridinger excud. A.V. 63.2 x 44.5 cm.

Schwarz (1910) 1486 (but not acquired along with the Horn collection in 1903, see below); Wend (1975), Ergänzungen zu den Œuvreverzeichnissen der Druckgrafik, 1,1, 147 with reference to Schwarz.

Not  in Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, division I-XXVIII (1838/57) , Thienemann (and therewitth not in the Dresden Printroom, too; 1856) + Count Stillfried (1876) , R. collection at Wawra (1890; besides 234 drawings 600 prints) , R. catalogue Helbing (1900; 1554 nos.) , R. list Rosenthal (1940; 444 nos.), collection of the counts of Faber-Castell (1958; 106 drawings + 1160 prints) and others more.

as a pendant to Ridinger’s Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Schwarz 1516 concretely secured for Bergmüller (“Joh. Georg Bergmiler pinxit”) and surely forming a uniform Ridinger-Bergmüller chain of events with furthermore an Adoration of the Kings (1406) and the Flight into Egypt (1482). All in the practically same size and

presenting  themselves  as  specially  worked  pictures  for  the  wall ,

therefore without so-called thesis strip below – in the 18^th century “mostly as blanc strip with integrated middle cartouche” (Teuscher in Die Künstlerfamilie Rugendas 1666-1858, p. 295) – for individual inscription on special occasions as the rule for the Saints sheets as marks of their designation as art for daily use.

Available here moreover

in  greatest  perfection

as widely so unobtainable for even just most ambitious collectors. Raised enormously as

an  item  next  to  impossible !

With watermarks WANGEN + (large) crown with appendix FAvI (ligated) as known for excellent early Ridinger states and mounted at five points on heavy handmade paper with typographic two-liner watermark. – In the lower margin still plate dirt. – Trimmed at both the upper corners on the platemark, otherwise with fine margins of up to 2 mm. – With only quite minimal rubbing in the clouds above of Joseph and a tiny pin-like hole visible only against the light, otherwise of almost un-touched freshness and in such a way not only a Ridinger unknown to most, but also and at all

a  Ridinger  which  to  miss  would  leave  you  poor .

Offer no. 15,260  /  price on request

St. Joseph with the child Jesus with the globe. Half-length portrait with elliptic gloriole looking up to the left with lily stalk in the right and with the left holding the child bedded on a soft cushion. The latter himself with beams of rays at each side and on the head, beside him the globe, onto which his right presses on the cross, otherwise, however, likewise looking to the left out of the picture. Inscribed: Joh. Ellias Ridinger. excud. A. V. 56.7 x 42.1 cm.

Comp. Thienemann + Schwarz 1282 + Schwarz 1503 (“Similar representation as Th. 1282 and supposedly from the reworked plate. Modified works …”) with ills.; Counts Faber-Castell (1958) 113 as Th. 1282 without identification as variant to the aforementioned.

Generally not  in Weigel, Art Stock Catalog I-XXVIII (1838/57) , Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.) , Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900) , Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

VARIANT  DESCRIBED  HERE  FOR  THE  FIRST  TIME

and with respect to the cartouche, compared to Schwarz 1503 (55.6 x 42.3 cm) once more and decisively simplified, third, if not forth state of Th. 1282, whose yet not absolutely reliable signature notation “J. E. Ridinger exc. A. V.” deviates from the one Schwarz reliably quotes for 1282 (55.5 x 41.2 cm), that is “I. El. Ridinger exc. Aug. Vind.”. Joseph’s looking up sympathetically more reserved here compared with Schwarz 1503, the hair barely curled in the forehead region.

With little margin of up to 4 mm (below) round about, frayed on the left on 13 cm. – Generally time-marked with partial lighter rubbings, more conspicuous in cartouche and text margin.
Offer no. 14,963 / EUR  198. (c. US$ 321.) + shipping

Before  the  Silhouette  of  Jerusalem

Consummatum est. Before the silhouette of Jerusalem the dying Christ at the cross, looking down to the left at Mary, to the right John. At the foot of the cross  death’s-head . Inscribed: I. N. | R. I. at the top of the cross / Consummatum est. / I. El. Ridinger excud. Aug. Vind. 56.7 x 42.3 cm.

Compare Th. 1274 (uncertain as being trimmed under loss of the title/inscription strip) + Schwarz 1274 (56 x 39.2 cm, variant of writing “CONSUMATUM EST.” + “J. Elias … exc. …”). – Faber-Castell 109 (without attention to the “mm” in Consummatum).

Not in Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, pts. I-XXVIII (1838/57), Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.), Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger, 1900), Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

Undescribed  (?)  variant  to Schwarz 1274 as a

with  the  marvelously  nuanced  light  falling  in  from  above . – In very fine impression with margins 1-1.5 cm wide running around and irrespective of its time-markedness – perfectly smoothed out little crease folds throughout the sheet, thin paper spots, some pin-like tiny holes, little spore spots in the lower part of the subject – of optically roundly very fine general impression.
Offer no. 14,861 / EUR  956. / Export price EUR  908. (c. US$ 1472.) + shipping

The  Largest  of  Ridinger’s  Crucifixions

In manus tuas com(m)endo Spiritum meum et hæc dicens expiravit. Luc. 23. The hour of Good Friday darkened by clouds of Christ at the cross before broadly situated Temple Mount with the Wailing Wall. Left of the cross John supporting the collapsing Mary, lying at the foot of it Magdalen. Inscribed: I. N. R. I. at the head of the cross / Ioh. Iacob Ridinger sculps. / I. El. Ridinger excud. Aug. Vind., otherwise as above. 63.3 x 45.1 cm.

Schwarz 1492 with ills. II, plate XLII; Wend, (Additions to the Definitive Catalogues of Prints), I/1 (1975), 155 (variant in writing); Faber-Castell 167.

Not in Thienemann (1856), Stillfried (1876), Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, pts. I-XXVIII (1838/57), Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.), Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger, 1900), Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

Fine black impression determined by contrast-rich chiaroscuro – marvelous the play of the light falling in from above – with typographic watermark (WANGEN?) with margins running around 1.5-2 cm wide, fox-spotted on three sides, though generally little perceptibly slightly spotted, and doubled. The previously smoothed out centerfold still slightly visible.

The  extraordinarily  rare

large-sized  sheet

from the sequence of the nine crucifixions, besides the present one provable here only in the copy Schwarz (von Gutmann Collection, 1910, acquired by this, however, already 1903 not with the Horn Collection) as well as a variant sold here in the 90s. The scenery itself finally  of  great  power  and  pictorial  beauty – “ And  was  a  darkness  over  the  whole  country ” –

Offer no. 14,862 / EUR  1175. / Export price EUR  1116. (c. US$ 1809.) + shipping

And  Nuance-Rich  the  Light  falling  in  from  Above

In manus tuas com(m)endo Spiritum meum et hæc dicens expiravit. Luc. 23. Christ left alone

in his hour of Good Friday darkened by clouds ad looking up to the right, at its foot

death’s-head + bones , persisting  hissing  snake + tempting  apple

as referring company. Broadly situated behind the Temple Mount with adjoining locality laterally left. Inscribed: I. N. R. I. at the top of the cross / I. El. Ridinger excud. A. V., otherwise as above. 51.7 x 39.2 cm.

Th.-Stillfried (1876) + Schwarz (1910) 1408; Faber-Castell 136; Wend, (Additions to the Definitive Catalogues of Prints), I/1 (1975), 153.

Not in Thienemann (1856), Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, pts. I-XXVIII (1838/57), Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.), Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger, 1900), Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

Fine black impression rich in contrast – nuance-rich  the  light  falling  in  from  above – with margins of 7-10 mm running around. In the left half, optically disguised by the mezzotint technique, slightly waved and generally spotted as little perceptible in the subject. A throughout fine general impression maintained though. – A further one of the Ridinger crucifixions

in  their  always  again  varying  fascination  of  the  event .

Offer no. 14,863 / EUR  890. / Export price EUR  846. (c. US$ 1371.) + shipping

By example of Daniel, promoted in the Jew’s Babylonian Captivity and under the Persian Cyrus I calumniated by enviers and consigned to the den of lions, Jehovah, the god of the Israelites, shows his might, exciting the court on the gallery in unbelieving stupefaction. Brush drawing with wash in grey-blue + black with heightening in white for Johann Daniel Herz I (1693 Augsburg 1754; an “art publisher with an eye for quality” [Rolf Biedermann, 1987], “especially his sheets of large size shall be mentioned” [Thieme-Becker, 1923]). (1732.) Inscribed in sepia by the publishers: Jo El. Riedinger (sic!) inv et del 1732. 837 x 533 mm + 32 x 20 mm additional inscription field laterally lower right.

as preparatory drawing in reverse, pictorially lined with wide and narrow border, to plate Schwarz 1440 engraved by Johann Jacob Wangner (“Iun.”, c. 1703 Augsburg 1781) and known to literature only since 1910 by the copy of the von Gutmann Collection.

Contrary to the cataloguing Faber-Castell (erroneously furthermore as 1737) not signed in autograph the work

belongs  to  the  largest-sized  of  the  drawn  œuvre

and follows the bible’s tradition Book of Daniel, chap. 6 :

“ It pleased Darius (recte Cyrus the Elder, see below) to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom. And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first … Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault … Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God … Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king (very sorrowful about the development) spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee … Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions … (a)nd cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: … is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Then said Daniel … that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me … Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den … and no manner of hurt was found upon him,

because  he  believed  in  his  God .”

Just as this then also had the Babylonian Captivity (597-537, thus not “70 years” as Jeremy 25, line 11), anyway not to be mistaken as enslavement though still wearing the Jews down, grow to his people’s weal for it became

“ a period of purification from which the Israelites emerged both nationally and religiously as newly born. The contrast to the victorious, but degenerated paganism invigorated the nationalism and the religious belief … (I)nstead of a limited tribal god

one  learned  to  recognize  in  Jehovah  the  master  of  the  universe

under  whose  mighty  protection  one  knew  oneself ”

(Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 4^th ed., II [1888], 207).

Under the latter aspect the spectacular Den of Lions event proves to be, independently of its true chronological base, see below,

a theme which with respect to his insight drawing from 1723 on Alexander the Great’s decision at the Indian Hyphasis in 326 BC to return (here present per 14,680) was to fascinate Ridinger even more so as according to biblical reading Daniel had prophesied the empire of a mighty king to be identified with Alexander to whom ten years before he had dedicated his Alexander cycle – besides the Hyphasis drawing The Siege of Halicarnassus and The Crossing of the Tigris published also in engraving by Jeremias Wolff Heirs and Herz I resp. – and which theme in the 30s he jointly with Brockes finally sounded the mort with the first four plates of the “Fights of Killing Animals”.

But also just by its size his

stands in context with those of the Alexander cycle of which, however, just only the two “heroic” ones had been engraved and published elsewhere for at that time not yet working in copper and publishing himself. Nevertheless the procedure remained the same, too, for the later Den of Lions.

Common to all those “outside works” their

exorbitant  rarity  even  as  engraving

as then also for the one of the “Den of Lions” no second copy is provable here since Schwarz (1910). Engraved it was expressively missing thus with Counts Faber-Castell (1958), too.

The paths of the preparatory drawings as the plates were – different from the works kept together by the Ridingers through the generations and finally handed over in good order – determined by changing publishers now sooner, then later and their being embedded into a mixed production finally lost in anonymity. On account of such handicaps

to which the condition of already the times of Faber-Castell with following preservation by just one careful hand has to be inferior.

So besides two horizontal smoothed folds which remained perceptible as abrasions at top below of the gallery and centrally below of the archway a plenty of tiny(est) abrasions especially in the marginal parts, then, and here impairing only up to a point, for 2.5-3 cm in height in the left part of the sheet above of the center fold. Of the predominantly only spotlike foxing at the back only isolated slightly larger ones shining through largely in the upper half of the subject, perceptible almost only in the washed free area between archway and gallery. Quite isolated small marginal tears reinforced. Generally the quite tolerable wrinkles of the centuries as due to the hard to preserve oversize and greatest rarity, concealed by the

pictorial  grandeur  of  the  composition

with its, not least,

10  different  masterly  lion  physiognomies

(that of the eleventh lion covered). And

Weigel (1856, with c. 1849 sheets – 17 of which lion sheets of usual kind – most extensive inventory, dating back to the bequest of drawings purchased from the heirs in 1832) – Coppenrath (1889/90, 66 sheets) – Wawra (1890, 234 sheets) .

First presence on the market on occasion of present Den of Lions drawing then 1958 with Faber-Castell , followed by great distance by above Alexander drawing writing art history with the Hyphasis event of 326 and present here likewise.

Not least in this connection it shall also be reminded of Hans Möhle’s reference of already 1947 to which

“ the  special  accomplishment  of  German  baroque  lies  in  the  subject  of  the  drawing ”

as in more recent time Ruth Baljöhr drew the attention on again.

And thus remains as résumé

For today’s Jewry rests on just those pillars which are fruits of the, more correctly spoken, Babylonian Exile as co-source of also the Den of Lions manifestation based on one “for he believed in God”. For, it shall be repeated,

“ In fact the Jews lived quite peacefully and had plenty of opportunity to practice their faith in exile in Babylon.

The  synagogue  and  the  canonization  of  the  Torah

have  their  origins  in  Babylonian  Judaism ,

as , of  course , does  the  Babylonian  Talmud ”

(Bryan S. Rennie ,

Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA, in his internet article [c. 2005] “The Dating of the Book of Daniel” – http://www.westminster.edu/staff/brennie/daniel.htm – under explanation of the author of the tradition turning out to be a non-contemporary with the result of an also mixed up sequence of government Cyrus/Darius, but foremost also an attribution of the Daniel stories to the age of the Seleucid ruler of Babylon, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who in 167 BC profaned the temple and in whose time [176-163], which just as well were the time of the author of the Book of Daniel, “loyalty to the Jewish food laws and the refusal to worship images of other gods – as starting point of the report on the Den of Lions – had become a question of life and death”).

By which the report of the Den of Lions event proves to be a combination of the religious hardships at the time of Antiochus with the historical characters of the Babylonian Exile. Because for the king anxious for Daniel inevitably the profaner and religious tyrant Antiochus is out of question while it is just the Persian Cyrus who became king of Babylon in 539 and in 538 issued

the  fate-turning  Edict  of  Cyrus

(comp. 2^nd Chronik 36, lines 22. f. and Book Esra 1, lines 1-3 resp.) as a

“ crucial  event  in  the  history  of  the  religion  of  Israel ”

(Rennie) as finally allowing the Hebrews the return to Israel.

Both facts, religious persecution under Antiochus and royal generosity under Cyrus, constitute the intellectual content of the Den of Lions experience and its message

Offer no. 14,859  /  price on request

S. Bernardus. Saint Bernard holding in the raised right a crucifix equipped with the instruments of torture, at whose foot the left additionally holds a  death’s-head. On the left on a stone plate two folios, on them austere tiara, and a further scourge rod. Inscribed: I. El. Ridinger excud. A. V., otherwise as above. 52 x 42.4 cm.

Schwarz 1539 with ills. II, plate L; Faber-Castell 174; Wend, (Additions to the Definitive Catalogues of Prints), I/1 (1975), 215.

Not in Thienemann (1856), Stillfried (1876), Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, pts. I-XXVIII (1838/57), Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.), Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger, 1900), Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

Contrast-rich deep black impression with fine margins running around, in the right upper edge of the subject numbered with red chalk pen “71.”. Slightly time-marked, but of fine general impression.
Offer no. 14,864 / EUR  570. / Export price EUR  542. (c. US$ 879.) + shipping

Saint Mary Magdalen in Penitence. 51.6 x 42.4 cm.

Compare  Schwarz 1507 (51.2 x 38.6 cm; inscribed Ioh. Elias Ridinger exc.: Aug. Vind., with two soaring angel heads upper left in the clouds) as reduced repetition of Schwarz 1506 (66.5 x 48.8 cm; inscribed as before, but instead of the “exc.” “invent. et delin.” and without the angel heads); Wend, (Additions to the Definitive Catalogues of Prints), I/1 (1975), 192 (Schw. 1507); Faber-Castell 115 (negligently as Schwarz 1506!).

Not in Thienemann (1856), Stillfried (1876), Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, pts. I-XXVIII (1838/57), Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.), Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger, 1900), Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

with the far more expressive beam of light instead of the informal usual puttos which furthermore is not, as the latter, set into the clouds, rather emanates from the utterly contourless broad-flatted black above of them. Being 3.8 cm wider than Schwarz 1507 and therefore beyond the tolerable of varying working of paper it must be proceeded from an independent version and not just from differing states of one and the same plate. Already Schwarz judged such a difference of dimensions accordingly as he questioned an identity of his Magdalen reading no. 1508 with the equal one of Th.-Stillfried 1421 not present to him for differing width (38.4 : 42 cm, thus similar here).

and chain in the pictorial tradition of El Greco and Jusepe de Ribera and incomparably more charming than especially the sujet of Correggio’s reading Magdalen in idyllic landscape widely spread through steel engraving, but also over-excited other earlier depictions. That Ridinger used the death’s-head also in connection with the attribute of the book (said Schwarz 1508, Stillfried 1421) – just as his Italian contemporary Batoni, 1708-1787, but also already El Greco, 1541-1614 – follows with respect to his vanitates pervading the œuvre in manifold gradation without saying. But also picture-esthetically his present Magdalen with her elegantly draped bosom is a class of her own.

Marvelous  impression  of  adequate  preservation

with margins of 5-10 mm running around. Three differently long professionally smoothed out cross-folds no more perceptible from the front as a little restoring in height of the breast. Tiny rust spots in the sky part, three pinhead-small little holes right in the white paper (2) and image margin resp.
Offer no. 14,868 / EUR  1380. / Export price EUR  1311. (c. US$ 2125.) + shipping

“ The  Great  Sheet  of  Dance  Macabre ”

Dance Macabre. Circular chain dance of nine women + skeletons around opened casket with two skeletons inside and outside of the churchyard wall as centerpiece. In addition to it, placed back, chapel + charnel-house (?) along with walls. In the corners the Fall of man – Golgatha – the Eternal life + Purgatory , between two text-cartouches. In the outer-field surrounded by 12 medaillions together with text-cartouches for the dance of the men, separated by 8 (6 varying) vanitas attributes. Inscribed: Ioh. Iacob Ridinger sculps. / Ioh. El. Ridinger excud. Aug. Vindel., otherwise as following. 65.3 x 48 cm.

Th.-Stillfried + Schwarz 1428. – Illustration in L’Art Macabre 2, Yearbook of the European Dance Macabre Society, Dusseldorf 2001, within the contribution here “The Vanity Symbolism at Joh. El. Ridinger.

2^nd state (of 2?) as the copy in the Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München, too. – The copies Stillfried, Schwarz and that of the sale Counts Faber-Castell (1958 as

“ The  great  sheet  of  Dance  Macabre

Main  sheet”

not recordable in their states on the base of their descriptions. However, the one presented by Patrick Pollefeys in the internet proves to be earlier, at the present assumable as the first.

Not in Thienemann and in Dresden, see below, missing in the voluminous stocks of Weigel (1857) , Coppenrath (1889/90) , Wawra (1890) , Helbing (1900) , Rosenthal (1940) and others more.

Above and on the right fine small margin nearly throughout, on the left and below predominantly trimmed on the 1.5 cm wide platemark. – To the middle laid on wide-margined hand-made paper per corner-mountage, one of which loosened, causing a repaired tear. Practically not disturbing center-fold.

The  very  fine  copy  in  respect  of  printing  +  condition

– not provenances Faber-Castell/Castell-Rüdenhausen – of nuanced chiaroscuro in all parts. And in such a way

of  greatest  rarity

not only on the market, but, as documented above, in general.

The  first  of  the  large  sized  2-sheet  set

with the “Allegory of the Period of Life” as pendant not present here (Th.-St. + Schwarz 1429; illustration of the copy in Augsburg in L’Art Macabre 2 as above)

as  a  culmination  of  Ridinger’s  vanitates

in actualized repetition of an anonymous leaflet of the late 16^th or early 17^th century, in any case “before 1623” as the  “ demonstrably  earliest  and  most  known  Dance  Macabre  illustration  of  this  kind  in  the  German-language  area ”.

The texts of the cartouches each time in Latin + German versions. – In the centerpiece between Golgatha + Eternal life “Christ’s death has ruined the death and brought back the life” + below between Fall of man + Purgatory “Death and eternal hellish pain has brought about the sin alone”.

The outer-field presents clockwise from 1-12 the stations of the social structure of the great hundrum of the end, in the course of which the status symbols lie disrespectfully on the earth. Only the fool has been left cap and bells and the right grips the wand.

“ Papa. / Pope. … The pope’s power not withstanding death. // Imperator. / Emperor. … The head of the world falls to death. // Rex. / King. … The crowned head not spared by death. // Cardinalis. / Cardinal. … The cardinal I take home, too. // Episcopus. / Bishop. … I lead him to the churchyard. // Dux. / Duke. … Maybe gentleman or prince at last a dead man. // Comes. / Count. … Whether count or servant death be in the right. // Nobilis. / Nobleman. … No noble blood is too good for death. // Civis. / Citizen. … No man here has a lasting place. // Rusticus. / Peasant. … The farmer must under death’s foot, too. // Mendicus. / Beggar. / Miles. Soldier. … Soldier, beggar equally have to stand. // Stultus. Fool. / Enfans. Child. … Child and fools together belong to my kingdom. ”

As the essential links should be mentioned above/below middle, each time one beneath the other, timer (12 o’clock 25), hour-glass, death’s head, bones and death’s head with cup/funnel (?) sitting on, bucket with whisk filled with liquid. Left/right middle crossed gravedigger’s tool kit between bier + casket with pall flanked by four chandeliers.

THE  GRAND  SHEET  OF  RICHEST  THEMATIC  HERE  PRESENT  FOR  THE  FIRST  TIME .

See the complete description.

Offer no. 28,414  /  price on request

Memento Mori. On the bible lying on the table death’s-head with several missing teeth. To its right vase with defoliating bouquet, left, as rarer, tray with soap-bubbles on which a four-fingered jagged bar with attached seal rests as well as burned down candle/light of life, on its stand a pair of candle scissors, behind it hour-glass and above curtain with large jagged tear-out for the curtain of life, but since the middle ages also symbol of the mysterious whose possibly religious solace is, however, already countered by the hole. Peeping out from under the bible and projecting beyond the edge of the table a blank sheet of paper with tear and dog’s ear. Inscribed: Ioh. Elias Ridinger inv. et exc. Aug. Vind., otherwise as above and following. 51.6 x 42 cm.

Stillfried (3^rd appendix to Thienemann, 1876) + Schwarz (Gutmann Collection, 1910) 1426, obviously both III (of III); Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940), 434 (without margin, supposedly ditto); Faber-Castell 145, state I (of III) just as the copy of the National Print Room Munich (1963:1644); Wend, (Additions to the Definitive Catalogues of Prints), I/1, 289 (1975, quoting Stillfried’s description); Ridinger Catalogue Kielce (1997), 172, II (of III) with ills.; Niemeyer, (The Vanity Symbolism at Joh. El. Ridinger) in Wunderlich (ed.), L’Art Macabre 2, 2001, illustration p. 103 (state III).

Not in Thienemann (1856), Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, pts. I-XXVIII (1838/57), Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.), Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger), 1554 items; 1900).

whose different states have not yet been recorded by literature present here and according to current knowledge here have to be ordered in three variations. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 14,856  /  price on request

S. Antonius de Padua. Half-length portrait of St. Anthony with elliptic gloriole sitting to the left, worshipping the child Jesus in his glory gliding in the clouds. The folded hands resting on an opened book, from under which a long blossom branch projects. In the wide lower text margin inscribed as above. 53.1 x 39.9 cm.

Schwarz (1910) 1533; Counts Faber-Castell (1958) 172.

Not in Thienemann (1856) , Stillfried (1876) , Weigel, Art Stock Catalog I-XXVIII (1838/57) , Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.) , Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900) , Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

Of fine round about wide-marginedness: left 2 cm, above + right 2.5, below 3 cm. – The front of optically generally slightly age-marked general impression with, however, chiaroscuro full of contrast. The white top margin at the back with mounting traces with two pertinent little holes.

Anthony (Lisbon 1195 – Padua 1231) “joined the Order of Augustinians in 1210, of St. Francis in 1220, traversed as mighty penitential preacher Southern France and Upper Italy … and was canonized by Gregory IX in 1232. According to the legend he shall have preached to the fish when men did not listen to him, therefore he is looked upon as

is celebrated Jan. 17-25. His mystic and ascetic writings were published with those of St. Francis. His memorial day is June 13” (Meyers Konv.-Lex., 4^th ed., I, 657/II).
Offer no. 14,964 / EUR  870. / Export price EUR  826. (c. US$ 1339.) + shipping

The  Patroness  of  Music

S. Caecilia. Here with the harp as rarer attribute, adorned with martyr’s palm leaf + the head of an angel. Inscribed: Ioh. El. Ridinger excud. A. V., otherwise as before inside of a large shell-cartouche in the lower margin. 51.2 x 38.8 cm.

Stillfried (1876) 1420. – Not in Thienemann (1856) and with the exception of the Counts of Faber-Castell (1958) here not provable elsewhere, too. – Size variant unknown to Schwarz (1910) who lists per same number 1420 Baron Gutmann’s copy in the size of 61.5 x 38.8 cm thinking Count Stillfried’s specification could be incorrect. – Per corner mounting by old hand laid on especially wide-margined heavy hand-made paper. – Partly with a little margin, otherwise trimmed to platemark.

The  rich  sheet

in  rarer  composition

in  the  excellent  copy  concerning  printing  and  conservation – not provenances Faber-Castell/Castell-Rüdenhausen – perfectly brighting in all parts. And in such a manner of quite extraordinary rarity not only on the market as quoted above, but in general, too.

Having been made to the inventor of the organ by the legend the 22^nd November is the day of the ritual remembrance of this noble Roman of the 3^rd century. But for the full year and for all she is the patroness of music, in particular of sacred music. Here then

WITH  THE  HARP  AS  VERY  SELDOM .

And therewith belonging to that “exclusive communion of divine interveners – or, said Protestantly, divine representatives – ” which quite topically, though “already for a longer while historians have rediscovered (for themselves) … (and) revived scientifically” (Peter Burschel reviewing Brad Stephan Gregory’s “Salvation at Stake – Christian Martyrdom in Early Modern Europe” in the FAZ of August 2, 2000).

 
Offer no. 28,402 / EUR  1738. / Export price EUR  1651. (c. US$ 2677.) + shipping

St. Barbara. With the sword as symbol of her dying. Inscribed: Ioh. Elias Ridinger excud. Aug. Vind., otherwise as before. 56.8 x 41.3 cm.

Schwarz 1538 with illustration; Counts Faber-Castell (1958) 173.

Version not known to Thienemann (1856) + Stillfried (1876) and with exception of Baron Gutmann (Schwarz, 1910) here proven for then Counts Faber-Castell (14,882 here) only. – Variant to Th. 1287 with the sword instead of the palm leaf there. – Stillfried + Schwarz 1418 record without mentioning the crown here an otherwise obviously almost identical, also equal-sized version, but without any inscription (this also only and as already “extremely rare” at Coppenrath in 1889 + at Counts Faber-Castell in 1958, too; pre-state of 1538 here?), in which Stillfried possibly sees a pendent to the 1419

St.  Catherine  as  the  sacral  twin  sister

(see its version 1554 per 28,401 above).

Not provenances Faber-Castell/Castell-Rüdenhausen. – Per corner mounting by old hand laid on heavy hand-made paper slightly browned at three outer margins. – Nearly on all sides with tiny paper margin. – Small worm trace in the free outer field top right.

in  an  excellent  copy  in  regard  to  printing  and  conservation  of perfectly bright chiaroscuro in all parts. And in such a manner of quite extraordinary rarity not only on the market as quoted above, but in general, too.

The  also  pictorially  timelessly  marvellous  patronage  plate

of the “Stranger” (probably about 290 till 306) from, so the legend, Nikomedia in Asia Minor, first locked up by her father in a tower because of her beauty, then beheaded by him for her Christianity. December 4^th is dedicated to her churchly commemoration. But throughout the year she is the patroness of the warriors, especially the artillerists, is invoked for protection against storms whose lightnings once had burnt the father after his criminal act, and by all those threatened by an even impenitent death, but

especially  of  miners  in  the  adit  and  tunnel  constructors .

And “(o)n French men-of-war the powder cabinet charged to her protection was called Sainte-Barbe” (Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 4^th ed. II, 357). As consequences resulted from powder in general:

“ From the alchemists as ‚powder maker’ it is not far to the apothecaries, whose stores often bear the name St. Barbara, especially in the mining districts. At a special feature the ‚Privileged Court Pharmacy in Sigmaringen’ (South Germany) points to … In this house pharmaceutics, surgical treatment, surgery, and surgical apprenticeship had been practised.

On occasion of a reconstruction … a baroque ceiling fresco has been laid open showing St. Barbara … Supported by art historians and theologians the building owner found out that

St. Barbara  must  have  been  patroness  of  the  surgeons, too .

For in the said room with the ceiling fresco obviously the sick, trembling for their life, laid with the look at the ceiling. Awaiting a medical action they could find solace in the

auxiliary  saint  with  the  chalice  with  the  host

in her hand ”

(Nemitz-Thierse, St. Barbara, 2^nd ed., Essen 1996, p. 199). – See the complete description.
Offer no. 28,400  /  price on request

The Lord God planted an orchard in the east, Eden … God’s creation celebrates the first sunrise for Adam. Etching with engraving. 2^nd half of the 40s. Inscribed: Joh. Elias Ridinger inv. fec. et excud. A. V., otherwise Gen. 2, 8 as above in German-French and Latin verse by St. Ambrose. 39.3 x 54 cm.

Thienemann + Schwarz 808. – Plate 2 of the 12-sheet Paradise set as the “Very fine composition, showing all the animals of the chase in natural surroundings, with beautiful light effects”, Schwerdt III, 144.

“ All, except for the still lonely man, in pairs. Bull and cow next to him, ram and sheep not for from that, a couple of groundhogs, hares, peacocks, turkeys, swans, cormorants, herons, all kinds of ducks, additionally a gazelle, and a crocodile, lonely ”

(Thienemann).

Not provenances Faber-Castell/Castell-Rüdenhausen. – Contemporary impression with margins 1.5-3.1 cm wide. Originating from old Munich possession the sheet has been deframed and cleansed to the effect that also optically the quality of the impression shows well again. – Not perceptible from front, a tear running nearly horizontally for still about 5 cm through the upper right corner of the image as well as three small tears in the white upper margin backed acid-freely.
Offer no. 28,366 / EUR  610. / Export price EUR  580. (c. US$ 940.) + shipping

She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. Etching + engraving as before. – Thienemann + Schwarz 814. – Plate 8 of the set. – One executed preparatory drawing and three sketches Weigel 803-806. Three sketches in Augsburg for the central group of two, one of which executed.

“ The faithful dog below of Adam distorts the belly convulsively and howls for sympathetic grieve, the cat wallows in the dust. A parrot tries to punish Eve. Behind her two peacocks, as allegory of haughtiness and self-complacency, then a glutton – symbol of self-indulgence, greediness – the bird of paradise hastens to leave the paradise. Also a lustful and lascivious baboon looks approvingly ”

(Thienemann).

In the right outer field of the picture five (three larger) acid-freely backed tears not perceptible from the front, one such in the white subfield reaching to the edge of the subject.
Offer no. 28,369 / EUR  535. / Export price EUR  508. (c. US$ 824.) + shipping

So  far Ridinger’s  Homage  to a timeless theme on which it is said 200 years later :

Kokoschka, Oskar (Pöchlarn 1886 – Villeneuve 1980). Pope Leo X (Giovanni de Medici) after Raffael. Half-length portrait, sitting. Lithograph. (1972.) Inscribed in pencil: OKokoschka. 32 x 23.5 cm.

Wingler-Welz 472. – No. IL/LXXV (numbered IL/175) copies of the special impressions on Japanese laid paper printed in brown. The 100 further copies numbered in Arabic printed in blue on ordinary laid paper. These numbers given for the German and English market. – Heinz Spielmann :

“ Kokoschka  is  fascinated … by  the  faces  of  the  great  popes

who undertook the decisive steps to renew christian art by the art of the ancient age. In his economical drawings after Raffael’s portraits of popes Julius II and Leo X, more notes than striving for detailness, Kokoschka translates their posture and physiognomy into his own language. Both the popes, that the sketches reveal, would have been suitable models for him ”.

After plate 13 of the sketch-book D of 1956-57 depicting the father of the “prime time of the Italian arts and sciences”. His age became known as the Leonidian one. For

“ For  all  times

he  made  himself  famous

by  furthering  the  arts

and  through  creation  of  the  most  brilliant  buildings ”

(Meyer’s Konversations-Lexikon, 4^th ed., X, 691). Whereby he, second eldest of Lorenzo the Magnificent,

“ renewed  the  extinct  greatness  of  his  house ”

(Gerrit Walther in the FAZ of June 6, 2003).

That the letters of indulgence he sold specially for the completion of St. Peter’s were the first visible cause for the reformation outlines his person’s complexity.
Offer no. 14,125 / EUR  1176. / Export price EUR  1117. (c. US$ 1811.) + shipping

“ I am curious as to the history of this (original Ridinger printing-)plate (just I bought) and the others you have offered. Did you purchase them from the Ridinger estate (indirectly, indeed) or a private collector? These are truly rare one of a kind pieces ”

(Mr. L. A. F., October 28, 2003)