Complete in Thienemann + Schwerdt only .

And now here !

Ridinger, Johann Elias (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Hunting Scenes. Set of 4 sheet. Mezzotints. Inscribed as below, the quatrains in German-Latin each. 39.8-39.9 x 45.2-45.6 cm.

Thienemann 1115-1118; Schwerdt III, 146, d ( “Rare set”, 1928 ); Schwarz 1116 (plate I/XXXV) + 1117; Helbing XXXIV (1900), 1499 (sheet II only, trimmed to platemark).

Not in Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, division I-XXVIII (1838/57; more than 1000 R. sheets of the etched/engraved work) , R. Collection at Boerner (1885; “of greatest richness … Especially in great number the rare mezzotints”) , Coppenrath Collection (1889/90) , R. collection at Wawra (1890; besides 234 drawings 600 prints) , Reich auf Biehla Collection (1894; “Of all [R. collections on the market] since long time there is none standing comparison even approximately with the present one in respect of completeness and quality … especially the rarities … present in great number”; 1266 sheets plus 470 doubles + 20 drawings) , R. list Rosenthal (1940; 444 nos.), collection of the counts of Faber-Castell (1958; 106 drawings + 1160 prints).

At least sheets I, II + III with wordmark watermark. – The subtext fields still with plate tone, throughout fine in I + II. – Smoothed center fold. – The rear pressure spots stainedness from front evidently noticeable in the wolf sheet only, practically not at all in the boar sheet.

In 49 years present here for the first time

a Ridinger rarissimum of uniform printing quality

of very fine chiaroscuro with 1.5 cm margin running around

and therefore of Schwerdt’s sheet size. Here 42.5-42.6 x 47.8-48 cm, there c. 42 x 48.7 cm.

Johann Elias Ridinger, Wild Boar (Th. 1115)

The Wild Boar devastating the Land is killed.

Ioh. Elias Ridinger inv. del. sc. et exc. A. V.

The wild boar is hunted, so long with burrowing and rooting,
did lots of damage to the poor peasant,
It has its rage being felt with sharp striking,
till for despair it runs itself against the spear.

Set back laterally left at hilly edge of the forest with downright downtown-like set, two firing huntsmen and one with spear as well as five boar hounds, one of which done. – In respect of printing especially fine. – Four thin (missing/tear) spots in the (lateral) white upper margin made up.

Johann Elias Ridinger, Roebuck (Th. 1116)

The hunted defenseless Roebuck.

Ioh. Elias Ridinger (inv.) del. sculp. et exc. A. V.

The roebuck may indeed go fast over hedge and ditch,
The hounds the greed has the feet winged,
And one lets no rest, with barking, crying, hounding,
Till enemies have brought down the tired animal.

Already seized by the four-headed pack the hunt for the antlers-less buck, looking back at the three mounted huntsmen coming into the picture from the left, the first with drawn short sword, the following one blowing the bugle, passes a here just sparsely leafy old tree as it served Ridinger as repoussoir i. a. in his boar hunt Th. 66 with the likewise three hunters riding into the picture laterally left, both also being in connection with the drawn boar hunt Schwerdt III, 217, d (L’Art Ancien 14, 41 with ills.) of 1757 from which a chronological setting of their creation may result. The dense forest of the drawing, in Th. 66 already opening to a hilly free valley landscape, completely given up in present buck hunt, the hilly landscape as a whole ultimately serving as repoussoir only in favor of dynamic large figures, so that also this could be headed by Schwerdt’s rating of the hunting pendants Th. 65/66:

“ … very attractive … full of swift movement .”

The “inv.” erased in the plate analogously to Schwerdt’s copy and visible in traces only anymore as not noted by Schwarz what could refer to a design by a different hand. Thienemann sees the whole set “in Oudry’s manner” (Jean-Baptiste Oudry, Paris 1686 – Beauvais 1755). The latter all the more noteworthy as in an unpublished letter of June 28, 1756, to Wille in Paris (Bavarian private collection) yet the late Ridinger mentions besides others expressly Oudry as one of those who he could imagine himself “as his masters”.

Johann Elias Ridinger, Wolf (Th. 1117)

The Prey-covetous Wolf a Catch of the Hounds.

Ioh. Elias Ridinger (inv.) del. sculp. Aug. Vind.

The wolf, a glutton and lacerator of many sheep,
has to dance here, too, though after severe fight;
He tears and bites, as the furious bear biters him,
who always lived on prey, ultimately becomes the prey himself.

Brought to bay by a pack of four, one of these done, in the fire of one of the three shooters. – Obviously state before the “No. II.” in the center of the lower margin analogously to Schwarz + Schwerdt, for which contrary to the other three sheets the here partly still distinctly visible writing lines speak, but, however, with the erased “inv.” as before. – Slight rubbing at the trunk left and in the sky part upper right.

Johann Elias Ridinger, Fox (Th. 1118)

The Fox Hide tousled by Force.

Ioh. Elias Ridinger inv. del. sculp. et excud. A. V.

Now the hide of the fox is meant for his cunning filching,
Since he has been a pest for the chicks for long;
He defends himself with screams and bites at the tousling,
Alone he fails, force goes over cunning.

Three hounds at the fox, a forth jumping along. And the two hunters on the left looked at for help have visibly something else in mind. – Slight rubbing at the trunk right. A certain paper thinning in the lower center field not noticeable from front compressed at the back, a small tear defect reaching 1.5 cm into the lower right edge of the subject backed.

Remains as résumé satisfaction, even pride, about the coming in of such a triad of

classic hunting scenes in technically precious execution

as a Ridinger rarity of absolute class.

Offer no. 14,674 / price on request

„ herzlichen Dank für die rasche und ausführliche Behandlung meiner Anfrage. Ich bestelle hiermit beide o. a. Gebote … bin ich auch mit Vorauszahlung einverstanden “

(Frau R. R., 20. November 2002)