Ridinger, Johann Elias (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). 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. Below of the medallions slightly varied large mussel-shaped cartouche in likewise empty text field. Mezzotints. 55.4 x 39 and 56.3 x 38.9 cm resp.

Thienemann-Stillfried (1876; pendants, 56 x 39 cm) + Schwarz (56 x 38.1 cm) 1412/13; Silesian Ridinger collection at Boerner XXXIX, 2027/28 ( “Extremely rare”. 1885 ! ); Reich auf Biehla 291/92 ( “Very rare”, 1894 ); 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) .

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.

Of proven rarity as generally preprogrammed for according to expert Sandrart (1675) the technically conditioned extremely fast wearing off mezzotint plate permits 50-60 good impressions only.

Correspondingly already in 1856 Thienemann, pages VIII + 270 :

“ 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 … ”

Not even there then the present two as remained unknown to Thienemann.
Offer no. 14,871 / EUR  1980. / export price EUR  1881. (c. US$ 2618.) + shipping

„ … Die (vom Schwiegervater geerbten Par force-Jagd) Ridinger … habe ich in meinem Arbeitszimmer bestens neben einem Gobelin plaziert und möchte sie nicht mehr verkaufen. Besten Dank und ein Kompliment an Ihr Haus, dass sie nach so vielen Jahren noch an mich gedacht haben “

(Herr K.-A. H., 2. Februar 2004)