Ridinger, Johann Elias (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Spring-Gun on a Bear. The stretched and strained bear reaching and licking for the honey-pot swarmed round by numerous bees and the honey running out. At this moment shots come off from two sides. The bait joined by two ropes is fixed to the cross-beam of a trestle resting on strong palisades. Washed brush drawing and pen and brown ink over somewhat graphite. 213 x 346 mm.

On thin hand-made paper with typographic watermark. – On the back marginal marks of former mounting in points. Right top corner with a minimal repaired defect, hardly visible only. One 2 cm marginal tear repaired. Apart from that in perfect condition.

in the same direction, thus  before  its side-inverted version for the transfer on the plate, as preparatory for print 8 – Th. + Schwarz 76; Ridinger-Catalog Darmstadt, 1999, V.11 with ills. – of the 1750 set of the etchings (in mixed technique with engraving) of the Ways to capture the Wild Animals. And by this

a  quite  exceptionally  elitist  collection  item .

For Thienemann (1856, page 274, c) knew from this “most interesting work containing 28 (recte 30) fine and peculiar sheets” (Nagler 1843) drawn by Ridinger from life and etched/engraved by himself with the exception of 8 ones only 3 other preparatory drawings in the possession of Weigel, among them a larger-sized variant to the present one, which compared with the print is “quite different in the execution” though. Provable besides the one in question and a still available further one (A Lynx by the Turnpike) seven others, of which four could be handed over here already in pairs into an internationally magnificent private and important German Ridinger collection resp.

This first-rate 9-sheet block of the Ways to Capture, 7 or 8 of which in the direction of the print, origins from the “Group of the Painterlies” of that high-carat Westphalian collection by whose dissolution lasting for more than a decade beside i. a. sketches and proofs quite a number of of quite extraordinary drawn uniquenesses found back onto the market, too, whose extraordinary charm is determined by their wash. The technique the master knew to win the whole plenty of painterly light effects and contrasting. Present one of the

bees – bears  drama –

then also as executed work in connection with a graphic also within the Ridinger œuvre of greatest rarity nowadays.
Offer no. 14,973  /  price on request

“ Sir, yes, (the Rubens) is closer to the one in London (recte Dresden), but the one we have is on copper. Thank you for your time. Highest regards, D… A… (and yes America could use a blessing about now) ”

(Mr. D. A., November 4, 2003)