Ridinger, Johann Jacob (1736 Augsburg 1784). M. Johann Christoph Thenn of Augsburg Protestant Parson at S^t. Ulric … Three-quarter portrait standing under raised curtain, the left laid over opened bible, the right raised accordingly angled. Mezzotint after Gabriel Spitzel (also Spizel, 1697 Augsburg 1760). Inscribed: Gabriel Spitzel pinxit. / Joh. Jacob Ridinger sculps. A.V., otherwise in German as above + following. 40.3 x 26,7-26.9 cm.

Th.-Stillfried (1876) + Schwarz (1910) 1436, both first state only; Counts Faber-Castell (1958) 148.

Not  in  Thienemann himself (1856) , Weigel, Art Stock Catalogue, pts. I-XXVIII (1838/57) , Silesian Ridinger collection at Boerner XXXIX (1885) , Coppenrath Collection (1889 f.) , Reich auf Biehla (1894) , Helbing XXXIV (Works by J. E. and M. E. Ridinger; 1900) , Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

as having not become known to Stillfried + Schwarz. Both concurring with but 5 lines subtext, closing with “born in the year 1729, 28^th Oct. / Appointed to the office of sermonizing in the year 1758.” Here then followed by

“To  the  vicarage  1771  and  to  the  senior  councilor  1776.”.

Spitzel, on friendly terms with Johann Jacob’s father Johann Elias Ridinger for whom he arranged the important early stays at Count/Baron von Metternich in Regensburg, was himself also mezzotint artist and publisher, closed the publishing house in 1739 though in favor of mobility (i. a. Gera, Halle, Köthen, Berlin, since 1756 in Augsburg again). Thieme-Becker XXXI (1937), 391 f. mention among his portrait paintings of protestant parsons only those of Rentz + Schleißner, the latter at the Church of the Holy Cross in Augsburg.

Below with margin of 12 mm, on the left with irregularly fine (little) margin, top + below mostly trimmed to the edge of plate/subject, but still larger then Baron Gutmann’s copy (Schwarz) with just 39.8 x 26.8 cm. The visible traces of age (smoothed creasiness, horizontal center fold with tear of 3 cm, one such also in the curtain at the upper margin of the subject, four inessential-tiny scrape off injuries, the partial reverse fox-spotting perceptible from front in the text field only) contrasted by the proven general scarceness of the sheet, magnified by

the  undescribed  state  perpetuating  parson  Thenn’s  professional  way

as disregarded for Faber-Castell in 1958. After 50 years then here back on the market. En passant at the same time as

an  early  example  of  protestant-catholic  ecumenicity

with St. Ulric as joint church.
Offer no. 14,875 / EUR  230. (c. US$ 373.) + shipping

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(Mrs. B. P., March 24, 2003)