Ridinger – Roos, Johann Heinrich (Otterberg, Palatinate, 1631 – Frankfort on the Main 1685). Animal Pieces. Set of 6 sheet. Etchings by Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Between 1724 + 1728. Inscribed varyingly: Iohan Hein. Roos invent. et del. / Elias Ridinger sculpsit Aqua forti. 26.8-27 x 30.7-31.3 cm.

Thienemann + Schwarz (ills. I, p. 104) 797-802; Jedding, Roos, 1998, p. 169; Coppenrath part II, 1577 ( “Very rare set”, 1889 ! ); Reich auf Biehla 167, “Extremely rare”, 1894 ! ); Ridinger Catalogue Darmstadt, 1999, IV.10-15, illustrated completely. – In Weigel’s Art Stock Catalogue, parts I-XXVIII (1840-1857) as the one and only the copy before any letter only, IX, 10322, of 1840. – Watermarked Crown + word mark.

The very fine copy of the collection “EK” with its small blue round monogram stamp (ligated, not in Lugt) on the back of these bewitchingly beautiful etchings marked with “Aqua forti”, together the

largest  Ridinger-Rooses

with still partial light façette dirt,

absolutely  untrimmed  up  to  the  intact  deckle-edge

(top + bottom 7-7.5 cm wide-margined, laterally 10-10.5 cm), thus still with the two pinholes on the left from hanging up for drying! – Totally two/three acid-freely backed minitears in the outmost margin. Back of sheet 6 slightly age-spotted of which two spots and slightly larger light brown stains each shining through the right margin. Smoothed centre folds.

In regard of the state with Hertel’s address “Iohann Georg Hertli excud. Aug. Vind.” (Thieme-Becker XVI, 552: progenitor of the Augsburg family of engravers, who later, after buying a part of J. Wolff’s publishing house, founded a publishing house himself; still lived about 1760) on the first sheet analogously to Thienemann + Schwarz. The rough classification of the states: before any address – Wolff Heirs – Hertel . – The plate numbering results in the sequence Th. 797 – 798 – 802 – 801 – 800 – 799 .

Among the sceneries of this suite that for Thienemann “turned out far better” compared with the first

Indirect model of this beautiful sheet is the drawing of the resting animals in rocky landscape with the standing old horse turned to the right by Johann Heinrich Roos (1631-1685) in Augsburg (inv. no. G. 1671; a further one under Z.419 in Coburg), published as no. 54 in the baroque catalogue of 1987, of which it is assumed that Ridinger possessed it together with its pendant, the well-known Bull with the Bell also represented here (additionally available apart in the wonderful impression of the Frisch collection per per 28,138).

That Ridinger, what has been missed in the Augsburg catalogue, set another memorial to the sujet of the sheet here with Thienemann 488

– A  Quite  Old  Jade –

with the same turn to the left, but now in a typical autonomous environment

–  on  a  forest  path  in  front  of  a  suggestively  mighty  old  tree
and  disintegrating  fence  –

reminds both of Brockes’ mentioned intellectual agitation as especially of Roos’ example extending far into the time. Thus another generation later in 1783 also Joseph Georg Wintter followed with drawing + etching.

But the chain extends ahead of Roos himself, too. So the Roos catalogue Kaiserslautern 1985 reminds of influences by Berchem and Dujardin while Nikulin in the 1987 Eremitage catalogue thinks of van Laer (1592/95-1642).

This of particular interest in the context here as in recent time several sides independently of each other claimed general Netherlandish influences for Ridinger which to follow already earlier literature encouraged.

In such a way the “Decrepit Old Horse” dominating the group here proves to be beyond its pictorial-mental charm

The composition of the set in detail regarding their numerical order as being unknown to Thienemann :

1. Young shepherd and “eating goat with abundant udder” embedded in the title-decoration. – 2. The Bull with the Bell in community of a bleating goat + 4 sheep. – 3. The said old horse + one ox + goat each, 5 sheep. – 4. “A world-weary ass with saddle” + 7 sheep. – 5. The ruminating Bull together with cow, goat, 2 sheep + lamb. – 6. He-goat + she-goat, mother-sheep with suckling ewe-lamb, 5 further sheep.

On the general social classification of the set Stefan Morét says in the Darmstadt catalogue (p. 27) :

“ Also in the works of the Roos family the elaboration and impressive reproduction of the individual ‘character’ of the portrayed animals is a central intent. This it may have been what Ridinger caused to etch several (4 or 5 resp.) series after drawings of Johann Heinrich Roos at the beginning of his career …

Supposedly Ridinger was interested in the exact and impressive portrayal of the characteristic qualities or tempers of the depicted animals of his model, thus the somewhat dull staring of the ox, the dozing of the sheep, the vigilance of the goat. In Ridinger’s set ‘Design of Several Animals’ published since 1738 one observes a quite similar interest for the ‘actions and passions’ of the animals that, however, is due to Ridinger’s natural scientific inclinations.

In the time of their coming into being the animal pieces in Italian landscape after Johann Heinrich Roos were interpreted as

counter-designs  to  the  bourgeois  urban  life .

Also in the 18^th century they could be understood that way … . ”

And even in 1900 Helbing valued a brilliant copy of the set with 60 Goldmark equally to the suite of the Four Seasons of the Hunter or half of a fine copy of the 23-sheet set of the Fair Game and higher than the brilliant though trimmed impressions of the Imperials Th. 67/68 (50 Goldmark).
Offer no. 28,485 / EUR  1750. / Export price EUR  1663. (c. US$ 2684.) + shipping

„ Vielen Dank für Alles, liebe Grüße und schönes Wochenende von der Mosel Herzlichst “

(Frau A. B., 4. April 2003)