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Johann Elias Ridinger, Christ at the Cross

Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). In manus tuas com(m)endo Spiritum meum et hæc dicens expiravit. Luc. 23. Christ left alone in his hour of Good Friday darkened by clouds and looking up to the right, at its foot death’s-head + bones, persisting hissing snake + tempting apple as referring company. Broadly situated behind the Temple Mount with adjoining locality laterally left. Mezzotint. Inscribed: I. N. R. I. at the top of the cross / I. El. Ridinger excud. A. V., otherwise as above. 20⅜ × 15⅜ in (51.7 × 39.2 cm).

Provenance: Alexander Count of Faber-Castell (1866-1928), his Ridinger sale 1958 with its lot no. 136 on the underlay carton; Radulf Count of Castell-Rüdenhausen (1922-2004).

Thienemann-Stillfried (1876) + Schwarz (1910) 1408; Faber-Castell 136; Wend, Ergänzungen zu den Œuvreverzeichnissen der Druckgrafik, I/1 (1975), 153.

Not in Thienemann (1856), Weigel, Art Stock Catalog, division I-XXVIII (1838/57; more than 1000 R. sheets of the etched/engraved work), Silesian Ridinger Collection at Boerner (1885; “of greatest richness … many rarities”), Coppenrath Collection (1889/90), Reich auf Biehla Collection (1894; “Of all [R. collections on the market] since long time there is none standing comparison even approximately with the present one in respect of completeness and quality … especially the rarities and undescribed sheets present in great number”), Gg. Hamminger (1895) , Helbing XXXIV (Arbeiten von J. E. und M. E. Ridinger, 1554 items, 1900), Rosenthal, Ridinger list 126 (1940).

Fine black impression rich in contrast with WANGEN watermark as standing for contemporary impressions with margins of 7-10 mm running around. In the left half, optically disguised by the mezzotint technique, slightly waved and generally spotted as little perceptible in the subject. A throughout fine general impression maintained though.

Offer no. 14,863 | price on application

1959 · decades-long ridinger expertise · 2022