DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52444#0085
DRY-POINTS, AND ETCHINGS.
in pure black ink, quite clean wiped. Such tinting as may appear in these early
impressions is entirely accidental. No impressions without the graver slip over
the head of the Virgin seem to be known.
Compared with “ The Ravisher,” this plate shows technical progress, and it
is not out of harmony with the plates which follow. In the attractiveness and
sweetness of the design, it is, however, quite suigeneris among Diirer’s early work,
and it is thus brought into companionship with “The Virgin and Child with the
Monkey ” (No. 13), although this latter shows great advance in workmanship.
Thausing (I, p. 206) supposes it to be a copy from Wolgemut. Retberg assigns it
’ to before 1495; Heller, to the period between i486 and 1500; Von Eye thinks it
must have been done during Diirer’s apprenticeship, and under the influence of
Schongauer’s engravings. In the character of the face of the Virgin it is cer-
tainly akin to some of Diirer’s early woodcuts, which also seem to betray Schon-
gauer’s influence. Thausing says of it (I, p. 205): “ The oldest known engrav-
ings undoubtedly by Diirer are ‘ The Holy Family with the Locust ’ and ‘ The
Offer of Love ’ [see No. 4 of this catalogue]. Both are signed with his usual mon-
ogram, and cannot, therefore, have been engraved before 1496.” The shape of
the monogram, however, points to a somewhat earlier date. The A as here
formed, and the small d it encloses, are only found on very early drawings by
Diirer,— the “ Madonna with Angels,” for instance, of the year 1485, the
Orpheus,” dated 1494, and the Christ Child, copied from Lorenzo di Credi, dated
1495. (See Introduction, p. xiii.) In both these cases, however, the d stands
alongside of the A. The Venetian gondola gives evidence in favor of Diirer’s
disputed first journey to Venice about the year 1494. Middleton places this
print in 1494-95.
Called also “ The Holy Family with the Butterfly ” or “ with the Locust.”
3 FIVE FOOTSOLDIERS AND A MOUNTED TURK.—
B 88; H 981; R 4; M 7.— Monogram, consisting of a
POINTED A, WITH A ROMAN CAPITAL D INSIDE OF IT.
Very fine impression, in black glossy ink, clean wiped, but a trifle too
heavy in the darks. Slightly abraded on right (see upper feather in cap of
standing man, and the vessel). Watermark, apparently, Hausmann, No. 5.
Work still quite primitive, especially in the scratchy or “ feathery ” modeling
of some of the faces. Fine impressions in Paris, London, and Berlin, all pure
black ink, clean wiped.
Assigned to before 1495 by Retberg, to between i486 and 1500 by Heller, and
to about 1498 by Thausing. A comparison of the monogram, the A of which
3
in pure black ink, quite clean wiped. Such tinting as may appear in these early
impressions is entirely accidental. No impressions without the graver slip over
the head of the Virgin seem to be known.
Compared with “ The Ravisher,” this plate shows technical progress, and it
is not out of harmony with the plates which follow. In the attractiveness and
sweetness of the design, it is, however, quite suigeneris among Diirer’s early work,
and it is thus brought into companionship with “The Virgin and Child with the
Monkey ” (No. 13), although this latter shows great advance in workmanship.
Thausing (I, p. 206) supposes it to be a copy from Wolgemut. Retberg assigns it
’ to before 1495; Heller, to the period between i486 and 1500; Von Eye thinks it
must have been done during Diirer’s apprenticeship, and under the influence of
Schongauer’s engravings. In the character of the face of the Virgin it is cer-
tainly akin to some of Diirer’s early woodcuts, which also seem to betray Schon-
gauer’s influence. Thausing says of it (I, p. 205): “ The oldest known engrav-
ings undoubtedly by Diirer are ‘ The Holy Family with the Locust ’ and ‘ The
Offer of Love ’ [see No. 4 of this catalogue]. Both are signed with his usual mon-
ogram, and cannot, therefore, have been engraved before 1496.” The shape of
the monogram, however, points to a somewhat earlier date. The A as here
formed, and the small d it encloses, are only found on very early drawings by
Diirer,— the “ Madonna with Angels,” for instance, of the year 1485, the
Orpheus,” dated 1494, and the Christ Child, copied from Lorenzo di Credi, dated
1495. (See Introduction, p. xiii.) In both these cases, however, the d stands
alongside of the A. The Venetian gondola gives evidence in favor of Diirer’s
disputed first journey to Venice about the year 1494. Middleton places this
print in 1494-95.
Called also “ The Holy Family with the Butterfly ” or “ with the Locust.”
3 FIVE FOOTSOLDIERS AND A MOUNTED TURK.—
B 88; H 981; R 4; M 7.— Monogram, consisting of a
POINTED A, WITH A ROMAN CAPITAL D INSIDE OF IT.
Very fine impression, in black glossy ink, clean wiped, but a trifle too
heavy in the darks. Slightly abraded on right (see upper feather in cap of
standing man, and the vessel). Watermark, apparently, Hausmann, No. 5.
Work still quite primitive, especially in the scratchy or “ feathery ” modeling
of some of the faces. Fine impressions in Paris, London, and Berlin, all pure
black ink, clean wiped.
Assigned to before 1495 by Retberg, to between i486 and 1500 by Heller, and
to about 1498 by Thausing. A comparison of the monogram, the A of which
3