“ Spring is here ! ”
After long absence back :
The Spring of the Hounds
in a marvelous large-sized , marvelous high-grade drawing
The pack leader defending the hare against three other greyhounds and a waterhound by a boulder. Washed brush drawing over pencil by Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Within the subject below left inscribed with pale pencil: Joh. Elias Ridinger inv. et del. 17¼-17⅜ × 13¼ in (438-440 × 336 mm) (subject size 16¾-16⅞ × 13¼ in [426-429 × 336 mm]).
The pictorial preparatory drawing
in reverse to sheet 1 – Thienemann 105, illustrated in Blüchel, Die Jagd, II, p. 79 – of the Four Seasons of the Hounds supposed for the early ’40s, furnished with marks of trace and, on the back, red chalk, on strong, but not heavy laid paper with watermark “IV” as known for the time and documented here for Ridinger, e.g., for his 1723 drawing Alexander the Great at the Hyphasis 326 just as for two sheets of the set of the monkeys most likely published colored only by the sons as second edition.
Of best condition except for a pinhead-small hole and, predominantly on the back, seven marginal traces of former mounting in spots on a sheet removed only by now (on this by old hand in italics as inscription in the center “Coursing” and on the right “Ridinger”). In the center of the narrow white subfield of the drawing itself a “20.” in pencil as supposed inventory number of a former owner and therefore mark of origin of a more comprehensive collection of drawings.
The also by its size marvelous drawing
for the opening sheet of this wanted rich set, in the engraving explained by the quatrain
“ The Hares are catched many, At SPRING TIME /
Before when they offend in the seed field /
But when with highest rage, the hounds set on it /
So the protector has concern, that they do not tear it up . ”
The latter in the present reverse drawing therefore to the left, “the forelegs stretched out over the hare and grawlingly repulsing two other hounds, of which the one, a greyhound as well, lies with the front part in peculiar lurking position on the ground, the other, a waterhound, barking at him. Above these on a boulder there are two other greyhounds who also have a little lust for the hare”.
Contrary to the etching the pack leader’s tip of the tail a little less formed and the waterhound’s left foreleg concealed under the belly. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 28,878 / price on application
The Spring
as upbeat to the Fours Seasons
Young woman to the left at a balustrade, looking at the beholder. In her right a rose, the left in a flower basket on her lap. Followed by young and full-figured lady resp. before landscape scenery and gentleman at the fireside with tea and biscuits as
Four Seasons in large three-quarter figure .
4 sheet. Mezzotints by or at Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Inscribed: Ioh. Elias Ridinger excud(it). A. V., otherwise as following. 21¼-21¾ × 16¾-17⅛ in (53.9-55.1 × 42.6-43.5 cm).
Thienemann + Schwarz 1193-1196. – Slightly reduced and somewhat reservedly composed repetition of the third (of five) set of the Four Seasons Th. 1181/84 – “The ideas taken from the works of (Hyacinthe) Rigaud (1659-1743) and other French portrait painters” (Th.), though as to the contents generally in the succession of antiquity and Middle Ages according to which the perception of nature by the elements + seasons had “an important part in the process of profanation of art in the 16th century” (Robels, Frans Snyders, 1989, p. 25) – under renunciation of the verses, too. Here now sovereignly in the broad lower margin separated from the picture by a roll border the Latin-German titles in large typography.
Mounted by old at the corners on buff laid paper which is slightly browned at two/three outer margins. – The winter sheet with tiny margin at three sides, otherwise partially with such one or trimmed to platemark.
The excellent copy in regard to printing and conservation
of a cultivated collection of perfectly bright chiaroscuro in all parts. And in such a manner of quite extraordinary rarity not only on the market as quoted above, but in general, too. Already in 1675 the expert von Sandrart numbered “clean prints” of the velvety mezzotint manner at only c. “50 or 60” (!). “Soon after (the picture) grinds off for it not goes deeply into the copper.” Correspondingly then Thienemann in 1856 :
“ The mezzotints are almost not to be acquired on the market anymore …
and the by far largest part (of them) …
(I have) only found (in the printroom) at Dresden. ”
Besides Thienemann’s supposedly copy in Dresden and that of Gutmann (Schwarz, 1910) for the set here one with Rosenthal (1940) and that of Count Faber-Castell (1958) can be proven. The previous version 1181/84 was missing with the latter two, but Helbing (1900, “Marvelous mezzotints. Extremely rare.”) had it in impressions before the letter as complete set and with the letter in three individual sheets. – Thus here + now
the trouvaillesque opportunity
to take possession of this splendid , wall-flattering set .
See the complete description.
Offer no. 28,413 / price on application
The in Springtime
Vigorous + Diligent Hunter
Surrounded by his hounds looking from a low elevation down to his bag of roebuck, stag, hare, just as numerous winged game like wood grouse and hazel-hen as well as predatory small game. Followed through the further year by the attentive + determined, courageous + brave, and finally persistent + bold hunter as the
“ Four Seasons of the Hunter ”.
4 sheet. Etchings with engraving in oval with hatching of the corners by Martin Elias (1731 Augsburg 1780) after Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Inscribed: Joh. El. Ridinger inv. del. et exc. Aug. Vind. / Mart. Elias Ridinger sculps. (l. 3: sculpsit), otherwise in German with sheet title + quatrain in German-Latin parallel text. 14¾ × 10⅞ in (37.3-37.5 × 27.5 cm).
Thienemann + Schwarz 109-112; Weigel 16545
( “ old now only rarely found impressions ”, 1847 ! )
+ XXVIII, Ridinger, 11 A; Coppenrath Collection II, 1459 (“Fine set, rare”, 1889); Helbing XXXIV, 251; Schwerdt III, 136 (“An attractive set”); Rosenthal 126, 26 (sheet 4 only); Catalogue Darmstadt, 1999, V.7 (sheet 1 only, with ills.). – Not in Nagler (1843) nor in Schoeller Collection (1921) + Catalogue Kielce (1997).
THE MARVELOUS , FIGURE-RICH SUITE
in adequately perfect copy
of vibrant chiaroscuro
“ Of rare beauty and evenness ”
as the one quoted by Helbing one hundred years ago. With a sheet size of 20 × 13¾ in (50.7 × 35 cm; Schwerdt: 21⅛ × 14⅛ in [53.7 × 36 cm]). – Sheets 1 + 3 with typographic watermark. – The technical pinholes in the upper white outer margin closed.
With intervals of 13 an 14 years resp. the set is available here apart now for the third time. On which occasion it should be noted in view of their being transferred to copper by Johann Elias’ eldest, Martin Elias, that his impact on the Ridinger œuvre goes noticeably beyond a just engaged co-working as engraver not only according to findings here. Already as 30-year-old he almost acted as a spiritus rector behind the scene. Who ensured that sets were not stopped prematurely or published posthumously. And as Wolf Stubbe (Joh. El. Ridinger, Hamburg/Berlin 1966, pp. 16 f. + plt. 34), going into medias res, praises Th. 722, The Wild Buffalo and the Crocodile, from the Fights of Killing Animals in regard of the treatment of light as an artistic zenith of the late work he also pays, since judging on the basis of its engraving, not the drawing, reverence to Martin Elias as the etcher/engraver of that work. An aspect that increasingly elucidates the co-operation of the Ridingers and underscores the quality of the present set on its technical side, too.
Offer no. 14,657 / sold
“ Hark , in the distance a tender harp tone ! ”
Eduard Moerike,
Spring has its Blue Ribbon flutter again in the Breeze
Ridinger, Johann Elias (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). S. Cæcilia. Three-quarter figure of Saint Cecilia, looking at the beholder, in rich garment and turban-like head-dress, here
playing the harp
as rarer attribute, adorned with martyr’s palm leaf + the head of an angel. Beside her an almost unclothed sympathetic young angel reading the notes. Mezzotint engraving. Inscribed: Ioh. El. Ridinger excud. A. V., otherwise as above within a large shell-cartouche in the lower margin. 20⅛ × 15¼ in (51.2 × 38.8 cm).
Stillfried (1876) 1420. – Not in Thienemann (1856) and with the exception of Counts of Faber-Castell (1958) here not provable elsewhere either. – Size variant unbeknownst to Schwarz (Collection Baron von Gutmann, 1910) who in doubt about the – by the one here now confirmed – size stated by Stillfried in the 3rd appendix to Thienemann queries his copy of 24¼ × 19½ in (61.5 × 49.5 cm) listed under the same number. – Tipped of old at the corners on especially wide-margined heavy laid paper touched by browning at two of the far edges. – With fine little paper margin throughout below and intermitted here and there at the sides, above trimmed to platemark.
The rich sheet in rarer composition
in the excellent copy regarding printing and conservation
of a cultivated collection of in all parts nuanced, shining chiaroscuro. And in such a manner of quite extraordinary rarity not only on the market as quoted above, and 1856 by Thienemann
not even found in the print room in Dresden
and made known and described only 20 years later by count Stillfried !
See the complete description.
Offer no. 28,402 / EUR 1738. / export price EUR 1651. (c. US$ 1996.) + shipping
“ Certainly it works different , too , but so it works as well ”
When Night falls at Hogarth
then also Spring , Monarchy , Charles II
and a lot more come in
Hogarth, William (1697 London 1764). The Times of Day (and the Year). Set of 4 sheet. Engravings by Thomas Cook (c. 1744 – London 1818). Inscribed: Hogarth pinxt. / (T.) Cook sculp(t). / Published by Longman, Hurst, Rees and Orme Jan(y). 1st./March 2nd./July 1st. 1807., otherwise with the respective time of the day. Picture size 6⅝-6⅞ × 5½-5⅝ in (16.7-17.4 × 13.9-14.3 cm).
The famous set of the Four Times of Day including, though backwards, the seasons of the year, here in Cook’s (“made himself a name as Hogarth engraver, too”, Thieme-Becker) smaller repetition. – Trimmed within the slightly foxing wide white platemarks.
The set conveys the impression the whole London activity exclusively takes place in restaurants , with eating , drinking , and amusement. And in fact : the action has a real background. Culminating in the in this regard especially abundant
Spring night after May 29
that brought back monarchy – and with it Charles II. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 8,874 / EUR 245. (c. US$ 296.) + shipping
Whereas in Watteau
it goes „with sails swelled by love“ to Cythera
Ridinger, Johann Elias (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). The Cythera Lady (“Impudent but yet Gallant”). Coquettish grande dame in three-quarter figure to the right, draped as richly as sophisticatedly up to pear jewels and gown falling three-dimensionally mussel-shaped, dancing with the arms spread in deeply staggered landscape with the opened right downright reaching for the ripe grapes on the left as an art-historical symbol of fertility following psalm 128,3. In the background a two-master lies under sails before the coast of a mountainous landscape. Mezzotint. Inscribed: I. El. Ridinger excud. A. V. 19¼ × 14 in (48.8 × 35.4 cm).
Schwarz 1471 + plate II, XXX. – Not in Thienemann (1856) + Stillfried (1876) and here besides the copies of von Gutmann (Schwarz, 1910) + Count Faber-Castell (1958) not provable elsewhere. – Mounted by old at the corners on especially wide-margined buff laid paper which is slightly browned at two outer margins. – Right with tiny paper margin, otherwise mostly trimmed to platemark. – Caption in German-Latin. Till now its motto served as title due to not understanding the contents of the picture :
Impudent but yet gallant .
Impudence herself dances here , and is yet called gallant .
Wrong name makes the vices only known .
The, what literature overlooked till now,
wonderful sujet inspired by Watteau
in a brilliant impression of best condition
of a cultivated collection of perfectly bright chiaroscuro in all parts. And in such a manner of quite extraordinary rarity not only on the market as quoted above, but already in 1856
not even found in the Dresden print room
by Thienemann and then still remained unknown to count Stillfried!
Thematically of highest charm
it is Ridinger’s autonomously treated recourse to that complex in the work of the contemporary of his early years that counts in its time and from then till today to the most admired paintings in art history, to
Antoine Watteau’s
(Valenciennes 1684 – Nogent-sur-Marne 1721)
CYTHERA GROUP
with the “Pilgrimage to the Isle of Cythera” (the Ionian island Cerigo as the lover’s isle of Greek mythology) of the Louvre as the primus inter pares by which Watteau reached his admission to the Académie on Saturday, August 28, 1717, “as painter of the ‘fête galante’” as the original title “Le pélerinage à l’isle de Cithère” was correctingly re-titled in the record of the session. It is
“ (t)he work which unites all qualities of W.’s art ”
(Jahn 1957). Of equal standing “The Embarkation to Cythera” in Berlin as the supposedly last Watteau acquisition by Frederick the Great (between 1752 and 1765) whose purchase from the Hohenzollern for 15 million marks in the past early ’80s was then as spectacular as cheap from today’s point of view. Listed as replica only by literature for long “The differences between the two version (are) numerous”. Early predecessor of both is “The Isle of Cythera” from 1709, also purchased in the early ’80s for the Städel in Frankfort/Main, “an upbeat … the first idea for the celebrated works in the Louvre and in Berlin”.
“ And so Watteau has wanted it (what explains the great success of his painting). The ‘Pilgrimage to the Isle of Cythera’, which was painted fast, but ripened slowly, represents an ambiguous work that gave and still gives rise to interpretations which might look contradictory, but in reality complement one another.
Its extraordinary fascination
for the Painters
(Turner, Monet), and the poets (Verlaine), the musicians (Debussy) and the writers (Proust), and in the farest sense for the public, cannot be explained else … ”
(François Moureau, Watteau in his Time, pp. 469 ff., in the Watteau Catalogue by Morgan Grasselli and Pierre Rosenberg to the 1984/85 touring exhibition Washington – Paris – Berlin). – An extensive appreciation of the Cythera group and its connecting lines in Ridinger’s work within the available comprehensive description of the “Cythera Lady”.
Offer no. 28,408 / price on application
“ I am writing to you to have suggestion from you, the specialist of J.E.Ridinger. I am an art historian … ”
And
“ Thank you very much for quick response. Your suggestion is so helpful and can correct many erroneous captions which have been attached to the Ridinger’s prints in Japan until now … ”
(Ms. Y. K.-S., 19 + 22 December 2009)