Wille, Johann Georg (Upper Mill in the Beaver Valley near Giessen 1715 – Paris 1808). Ruines de l’Abbaye de Saint Maur. In the foreground the ruins of the abbey, following the place with fine view at the village place. Manifold figurines. Etching by Franz Edmund Weirotter (Innsbruck 1730 – Vienna 1771). Inscribed: Dessiné par J. G. Wille / Gravé par F. Weirotter, otherwise as above. 28.9 x 36.2 cm.

Nagler, Weirotter, 29. – With coat-of-arms dedication to the royal councilor and secretary responsible for the finances, M. Brillon Duperon. – With the address of Basan-Poignant (about 1785). – Center fold. – On buff laid paper. – Wille ,

“ private  representative  of  German  culture  in  France ”

(Decultot and others, Wille Correspondence, 1999, p. 1), has exerted “a great influence … on the development of his field” (Wilhelm Schmidt in Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie XLIII, 257f). For

“ most  of  the  great  engravers  of  18^th  and  19^th  centuries  …  were  his  pupils ”

(Nagler XXI, 465).

On Weirotter finally, pupil of both, Johann Joachim Winckelmann in Rome writes to Wille per Jan. 28, 1764:

“ Mr. Weirotter has together made me a present of own works which I count to the best in their kind … This young artist will be a credit to his country ”

(Correspondence, p. 314, op. cit.).

Accordingly then still 130 years later in Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (XLI, 520f.):

“ Connoisseurs and friends of his sheets had to pay dearly for impressions of single sheets …

As  etcher  W(eirotter)  is  reckoned  among  the  most  excellent  artists .”

Offer no. 14,702 / EUR  380. / export price EUR  361. (c. US$ 504.) + shipping

„ Just received the James Figg item safely today. I have a couple questions. Art in general is new to me so I‘m asking you to educate me on this item … First of all I‘m happy with the item, just trying to understand it better … Thanks again “

(Mr. A. C., March 27, 2008)