The  AHA!  Event  of  the  Month

Wood engraving after Gustav Bauernfeind (Sulz on the Neckar 1848 – Jerusalem 1904) at Adolf Cloß, Stuttgart. (1876.) Inscribed with the title. 14.1 x 18.8 cm.

Concluded local text on both sides, thereof the one of the back completely devoted to its great son, at the beginning reminding of Buddha’s far earlier “Throw away everything and become Beggars”.
Offer no. 10,193 / EUR  50. (c. US$ 81.) + shipping

Ridinger, Johann Elias (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). 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. Mezzotint by Johann Jacob Ridinger (1736 Augsburg 1784). 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 Thienemann + 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.

“ Despite the dislike of the founder of the order for art the Franciscan friars had a great influence on the development of Italian art, for they set the same comprehensive missions … The life and the miracles of Francis have been depicted in continuous cycles … One of them, the stigmatizing, i. e. the mystical transfer of the stigmata of Christ on Francis, remained motif of artistical representation up to the 18^th century ”

(Meyers Konvers.-Lex., 4^th ed., VI, 588).

… and Paul V obliged all catholic ministers to the celebration of this” (Meyers, as before). 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 Th. 1339 occurred in the well-equipped mezzotint section of Rosenthal’s Ridinger offer from 1940 (no. 420) + 1958 at Faber-Castell (123). So already in 1856 Thienemann resumed with a

“ The  mezzotints  are  almost  not  available  in  the  trade  anymore

… all worked by and after Joh. El. Ridinger (are) that rare that they are to be found almost only in some public, grand print rooms. I have come across most of the described ones only in the famous print room at Dresden … ”

(pages VIII + 270).

A situation also possible new editions could change little as according to the expert Sandrart (1675) the technically conditioned extremely fast wearing off mezzotint plate only permits 50-60 good impressions. The remarkable interest of Ridinger in Francis of Assisi doubtlessly not least stimulated by a “He preached to the animals”.

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.

With WANGEN watermark together with sub-mark as standing for contemporary impressions. 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$ 2654.) + shipping

„ Best her Niemeyer, De prenten zijn vanmiddag in goede staat gearriveerd. Alleen al het uitpakken is een genot! Ze zien er prachtig uit (vooral The Idel 'prentice is een juweel) … Wat dat betreft, zijn eigenlijk alle prenten die u mij hebt toegezonde, van uitstekende kwaliteit … “

(de heer P. E., 1. Februar 2008)