“ The Fable belongs to the Artist
as to the Poet ,
and one lighted the other’s Light ”
Christian Ludwig Hagedorn
(Views on Painting), 1762, vol. I, p. 36
By his fables worked in the mixed technique of etching & engraving in the size of ca. 33.5 x 25-26 cm and published about 1744 and (those rarest sheets 17-20 transferred to the plate by the eldest, Martin Elias, 1731-1780) after 1767
“ Ridinger pursued a typical purpose of his epoch. A ‘Correction of Manners’ by the morale efficacy of art – though in quite a different manner – William Hogarth, almost of the same age as Ridinger, had attempted by his paintings and prints … Yet while Hogarth and Chodowiecki tried to gain recognition for their (identical) ideas by satirical sets, as A Rake’s Progress, 1735 (compl. set & single sheets available) … Ridinger built on the – especially suitable to him (that is, so he himself, ‘since the hoary times of the ancient ages’) – tradition of the animal fable ”
(Stefan Morét, Ridinger Catalog Darmstadt, 1999, page 96).
Beyond that at the same time also, creating a new image type, leaving behind once more tradition and field. For, so Ulrike Bodemann in Metzner-Raabe,
“ No similarities to fable illustrations known hitherto .
Enormous image sizes filled almost entirely by the representation of a central factor of the fable tale. Surroundings mostly dense, natural wood .”
And Regine Timm, ibid., vol. I, p. 171 :
“ In his large plates Ridinger … sometimes has included vegetable growth or rocks, too, dominantly in his illustrations indeed, but without decorative intention. The plants and rocks mean the thicket, the deserted loneliness of the forest, in which the strange tales among the animals happen. ”
The great intellectual relationship with the already mentioned Hogarth by the way also unmistakably expressed in Garrick’s epitaph for this:
“ Whose pictured Morals charm the Mind ,
And through the Eye correct the Heart.”
Chronologically interesting in this connection interesting that on the other side of the channel in 1726 John Gay, famous-notorious for his “Beggars Opera” (Brecht, Threepenny Opera!), had presented by his Fables “the most important achieved hitherto by English poets in this kind” (Meyers Konvers.-Lex., 4th ed., VI, 960/II).
Ridinger’s fable image then also a highly momentous milestone within the “basic corpus of about 900 editions of illustrated fable books” up to Chagall’s Lafontaine folio with its 100 etchings worked 200 years later as downright a glaring light for the immortality of the fable illustration.
I am glad to be able to present some of these in the fine qualities as usual here. Especially, too, to spread the thoughts of the “most reasonable teachers of wisdom” resting within. But also, much more prosaic, just as an occupation stimulating mind and sense :
Visual Joy and Depth at once .
Cautious Prudence overcomes Malice! The fox posing as a scholar vainly tries to dupe the cock. This himself in the richly composed poultry yard with, amongst others, peacocks, turkeys, goose from Astrachan, Turkish ducks. – Thienemann + Schwarz 765. – Plate 1 of the set. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 12,502 / EUR 445. / export price EUR 423. (c. US$ 570.) + shipping
The Revenge of a Humble on a Mighty is detrimental. The Elephant on an educational journey through Europe once accidentally hurt a pertness little fox what the whole species intended to punish the colossus for. But all too soon “the army had been pulverized”. – Thienemann + Schwarz 771. – Plate 7 of the set. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 12,505 / EUR 649. / export price EUR 617. (c. US$ 831.) + shipping
Pride despising others will come to naught by itself. A peacock shows off with his plumage scoffing at a beautiful rainbow and gets unanimous approval by jay, waxwing, woodpecker, and many others more. Then a marten teaches them all vain transitoriness. – Thienemann + Schwarz 772. – Plate 8 of the set. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 12,506 / EUR 496. / export price EUR 471. (c. US$ 634.) + shipping
The Age without Mind becomes contemptuous by childish Expression. The billy-goat behaves himself that silly about being elected by the animals as deputy because of his large beard that he “stirs up partly laughter, partly annoyance. This the artist presented excellently. The badger is rolling with laughter, the stag, the horse, the fox laugh him to scorn, the tiger, the striped hyena and the lynx become aware of the foolishness of their election and revoke it. And the monkey points at him with his fingers” (Th.). – Thienemann + Schwarz 773. – Plate 9 of the set. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 12,507 / EUR 588. / export price EUR 559. (c. US$ 753.) + shipping
To get a bright Wit into a heavy Corps is impossible. Casuar and ostrich asked the eagles for the plumage of one of their deceased so that they also could fly, but suffered airwreck “as all fools”. – Thienemann + Schwarz 774; Cat. Darmstadt IV.9 with illustration. – Plate 10 of the set. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 12,508 / EUR 504. / export price EUR 479. (c. US$ 645.) + shipping
Malicious Flattery is finally disclosed and defeated. Two dogs, a little monkey, tom-cat, and parrot populate the room of a rich idler. Then to the dismay of the others the tom-cat forgets himself and cajoles the plumage of the peacock. Later the tom-cat has to die. – Thienemann + Schwarz 776. – Plate 12 of the set. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 12,509 / EUR 476. / export price EUR 452. (c. US$ 609.) + shipping
Splendour and Grandeur makes no one brighter. A monkey poses as the throneworthy and stag, billy-goat, bear, wolf, hare, Ridinger-hound, and other honest mammals are content with it. But the cunning fox lets the tom-cat become the seducer and the monkey “quite ridiculous to all”. – Thienemann + Schwarz 777. – Plate 13 of the set. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 12,510 / EUR 562. / export price EUR 534. (c. US$ 719.) + shipping
The Innocence is saved often through the Hatred of the Evil. An owl once cheated by the fox warns “a flock of wild geese” to praise the death of Reynard the Fox as guaranteed. – Thienemann + Schwarz 781. – Plate 17 of the set. – Worked by Martin Elias as the first of the four rarest sheets of the set. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 12,511 / EUR 946. / export price EUR 899. (c. US$ 1210.) + shipping
Servitude taken up for Love of Splendor one shall endure with Patience. A stag of 12 ends subjected himself to the toil of a sumpter-horse for the fine bridle. “Thus suffer with patience” a badger comments. – Thienemann + Schwarz 782. – Plate 18 of the set. – Worked by Martin Elias as the second of the four rarest sheets of the set. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 12,512 / EUR 946. / export price EUR 899. (c. US$ 1210.) + shipping
Foolish Conceit about foreign Beauties deserves reasonable People’s Contempt. Zebra, monkey, and parrot travel in a country of which they suppose that foreign things were highly estimated there. Accordingly they boast themselves in view of horse, cow, and sheep. And see themselves confronted with reasonable opinions. – Thienemann + Schwarz 783. – Plate 19 of the set. – Worked by Martin Elias as the third of the four rarest sheets of the set. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 12,513 / EUR 915. / export price EUR 869. (c. US$ 1170.) + shipping
The Innocence suppressed by an Invent Pretext. A hare escaped from three hounds onto a rock falling a victim to a wonderfully feathered falcon swooping down. – Thienemann + Schwarz 784. – Plate 20 of the set. – Worked by Martin Elias as the fourth of the four rarest sheets of the set. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 12,514 / EUR 1007. / export price EUR 957. (c. US$ 1288.) + shipping
“ Received the 2 parcels yesterday in A. M. I am very pleased with the books as well as the condition of them. Thank you again … I hope we can do business again in the near future ”
(Mr. L. A. F., March 11 and 1 resp., 2001)