Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). The Neglected Household. On the left the boy fallen asleep over his food on the inclined table with the cat lapping up his mush, while the nurse cares for the baby on the right. Also in sloping position the coffee-pot on the shelf. Tome, flute + die as additional vanities. Mezzotint by Johann Jacob Ridinger (1736 Augsburg 1784). Inscribed: Ioh. Iacob Ridinger sculps. / Ioh. El. Ridinger excud. Aug. Vind., otherwise as below. 15¾ × 17⅞ in (40 × 45.3 cm).

Schwarz 1473 + plate II, XXXII; Mörgeli + Wunderlich, Über dem Grabe geboren – Kindsnöte in Medizin und Kunst (to the exhibition of the same name in the Medical-Historical Museum of the Zurich University), 2002, within (Baby Feeding), p. 196 with ills.; Niemeyer, Ridinger Erlebnisse 1698-2020, 2021, p. 259.

Not in Thienemann (1856) + Stillfried (1876) and with the exception of Baron Gutmann (Schwarz, 1910) + Alexander Count of Faber-Castell (1958) here not proven elsewhere. – With German-Latin quatrain.

The excellent copy in regard of 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”. – Per corner mounting by old hand laid on particularly wide-margined heavy laid paper slightly browned at two outer margins. – On the right throughout, below partly with tiny paper margin, otherwise mostly trimmed to platemark.

Offer no. 28,409 | price on application