Ridinger, Johann Elias (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). The Pursued Stags. For once a mountain stag of 22 points by four lynxes, for the other one of 10 points by hounds. Above of the bank of Lake Walenstadt in the canton St. Gallen and before the fall into the same. Set of 2 sheet. Mezzotints. Inscribed: J. El. Ridinger del: 1741. den 11. Martji and Joh. Elias Ridinger inv: del. et excud. A. V. 1741 resp., otherwise as below. 35.4 x 27.5-27.6 cm.

Thienemann 1145 ( “A very beautiful and rare sheet”, 1856) + 1146; Schwarz 1145-1146; Weigel XXVIII, Ridinger 75 a/b; Silesian Ridinger collection at Boerner XXXIX, 1984 (only sheet 2 + “extremely rare”. 1885!); Reich auf Biehla 220/21 ( “Very rare”, 1894 ); Helbing XXXIV, 1500 ( sheet 2 only, the afore-mentioned of 1885? + „Very  rare  sheet“, 1900 ); Schwerdt III, 148 („A fine set“, 1928); Counts Faber-Castell 76 (one trimmed to the edge of the subject).

Neither in Coppenrath (1889/90) + Schoeller (1921) collections nor in listing Rosenthal (1940) and the Ridinger exhibition catalogues 1967 + 1997 ff.

For Thienemann 1145 see moreover the drawing thematically belonging to, but not transferred into copper by Ridinger, added there (only in the 1856 original Thienemann) as engraving XII worked by Joh. Carl Loedel and annotated by Thienemann (p. XXXI) with the words “Here the stag is still fleeting, there (on 1146) he tumbles down”. And Thienemann 1146 corresponds with one of the most exciting among the eminent rare Ridinger oils, namely the Petersburg one of the no. 284 (with ills.) in vol. XIV (1987) of The Hermitage Catalogue of Western European Painting, its 148 x 85 cm, however, urged to realize a still richer composition.

The  very  rare  pendants  of  the  pursued  Swiss  stags

in very fine and with 45.5-46.8 x 31.5-33.5 cm sheet size (Schwerdt copy: 45-46 x 35.4-35.5) enviably wide-margined impressions as both frequently already technically that far out of reach for the collector of the delicate velvety old mezzotints as – so the expert von Sandrart 1675 – the mezzotint plates (allow for) about “50 or 60 clean impressions only. Afterwards, however, (the image) grinds off soon as it does not go deep into the copper”. Correspondingly then Thienemann 1856:

“ The mezzotints are almost not available on the market anymore … and (their) by far largest part … (I have) found (in the print room in Dresden) only. ”

Sheet 1 with weak waterstreak in the left white lateral margin. Sheet 2 first with original fine diagonal box pleat from upper right till center, then later squeezes noticeable at the back which appear also on the front in the lower text field left and in the center, but neither the former nor the latter more considerably impairing the very fine picture impression. Light trace of dirt moreover in the right white lateral margin and at the back above.

“ (In the year 1687. this very great and strong mountain stag of 22. points, has been pursued according to the signs of the blood by 4. lynxes for ¾ hours, finally below at the mountains

at  the  Lake  of  Wallenstadt , in  Switzerland ,

thrown and strangled by them. and have both antlers weighed 34. pound.) ”

+

“ Venator cursu canis et latratibus instat …  ” … 7 liner from Virgil, Æneis XII, 751. – The dramatic scenery very similar to the painting of the stag hunt in Petersburg with its even richer asset of hounds called in above (148.4 x 84.8 cm).

Offer no. 14,663 / EUR  2200. / export price EUR  2090. (c. US$ 2909.) + shipping

“ this is to let you know that the book has arrived in excellent shape, and that I am delighted to have it ”

(Mr. P. M., April 30, 2003)