Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). That God is very marvellous in all his works the chameleon teaches … . A lot of amphibians – Thienemann describes, recte reptiles – above (about a third of the sheet) two chameleons on branches, one catching a dipterous; below fine perennial plants, on these the common green lizard, an Argus butterfly in the mouth. Entirely à la de Hamilton, the “animal still-life specialist” and court painter of the Augsburg prince-bishop in whose workshop the young Ridinger possibly has worked. The scenery mountainous, high above on the right extended palace buildings. Etching with engraving by Martin Elias Ridinger (1731 Augsburg 1780). Inscribed: XXXVI. / M. El. Ridinger, sp. et exc. A. V., otherwise in German as before and below. 15 × 11¼ in (38.1 × 28.5 cm).

Thienemann + Schwarz 379; Niemeyer, Ridinger Erlebnisse 1698-2020, 2021, pp. 182 f. with ill.; Silesian Ridinger Collection at Boerner XXXIX, 1884 ( “Extremely rare”, 1885! ); Reich auf Biehla Collection 121 ( “Extremely rare”, 1894! ); Helbing XXXIV (Arbeiten von J. E. und M. E. Ridinger), 895 ( “Very rare”, 1900 ) and within the 43 sheets of the set available to him marked

with 50 Goldmark and thus with great margin to the gross of others .

Sheet XXXVI of the 46-sheet set To the Special Events and Incidents at the Hunt (“The rarest set of Ridinger’s sporting line engravings”, Schwerdt 1928) etched exclusively by Martin Elias after predominantly his father’s designs and concluded posthumously in 1779.

with 12-lined caption of a C. J. (G. T.?) Christoff, about whom Thienemann sneers not quite justly so it shall be quoted following to the above :

“ … because it is adorned by nature so marvellously that it takes on the smallest trace
of the colours so that they are to be noticed intensely at its body just as in a mirror:
So God expresses his power, his divine true seal into his creation.
Who will go even further will see the same glory in other animals
From eggs become an animal one names lizard;
And that runs with fugitive foot over the lea.
Insects of all kind are its favourite dish:
It lives by others death and still lives to praise God ! ”

Splendidly vibrant warm-toned, wide-margined impression originating from the omnibus volume of the old estate of a nobleman with supposedly watermark WANGEN as one of Ridinger’s preferred firm laid paper qualities

with the Roman number

(“If they are missing, so this indicates later impressions”, Th.). – In the white upper margin still both the two pinholes from the original stitching in numbers, at the far left edge narrow fold with little stitching holes from previous binding.

The set itself “arranged almost throughout so that always two by two harmonize with each other and form pendants, just as they have been sold in pairs, too” (Th.). Here thus with the bats & frogs.

Offer no. 15,725 | price on application