DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7598#0165
CHAP. VIII.]
FRANZ VON BOCHOLT.
631
than those of Israel Van Meek; urging in support of their opinion,
that those pieces are marked with Roman characters, which they
say were never used by the early engravers of Germany, or the
Low Countries.
Mr. Bartsch on the other hand insists, that the story, however it
may be exaggerated in some particulars, is not totally unworthy of
credit, and that the two criticks above mentioned are even wrong
in the premises on which they found their argument against it;
justly observing, that the S in the cypher used by Martin Schon-
gauer, is always the Roman letter, and that the M is frequently so
also. That Quadt was not mistaken, when he placed the artist of
whom we treat before Israel Van Meek, is proved by evidence of
the most unquestionable description; since there exist retouched
impressions of several plates engraved by Franz Von Bocholt, in
which the mark of Israel Van Meek appears to have been sub-
stituted for that of Bocholt; the latter having first been imperfectly
erased for the purpose. I possess indeed, in my own collection, two
different impressions of one of these engravings. The first im-
pression, evidently taken off before the plate had been worn by print-
ing, is marked FvB. In the second impression, which was printed
after Meek, the second proprietor of the plate, had retouched it all
over, the letters FvB, after being imperfectly scraped out, appear
to have been changed into IVM.
Bartsch thinks it not improbable that Francis Von Bocholt was
the master of Van Meek. I shall only add, that he was an artist of
great merit; that his figures are designed with great purity of style;
and that his manner of engraving bears considerable resemblance
to that of the ancient engraver who used the initials (£>S' The
assertion of Strutt, (Dictionarj-, vol. i. p. 108) that his engravings
" are, in general, stiff, laboured copies, from the works of Israel
Van Mecheln and Martin Schoen," is utterly unfounded.
No. 1. Sampson strangling the Lion. The mark is at bottom.
Height, 5 inches 3-4ths : width, 3 inches 3-4ths.
2. The Judgment of Solomon. The mark of the artist at bottom.
FRANZ VON BOCHOLT.
631
than those of Israel Van Meek; urging in support of their opinion,
that those pieces are marked with Roman characters, which they
say were never used by the early engravers of Germany, or the
Low Countries.
Mr. Bartsch on the other hand insists, that the story, however it
may be exaggerated in some particulars, is not totally unworthy of
credit, and that the two criticks above mentioned are even wrong
in the premises on which they found their argument against it;
justly observing, that the S in the cypher used by Martin Schon-
gauer, is always the Roman letter, and that the M is frequently so
also. That Quadt was not mistaken, when he placed the artist of
whom we treat before Israel Van Meek, is proved by evidence of
the most unquestionable description; since there exist retouched
impressions of several plates engraved by Franz Von Bocholt, in
which the mark of Israel Van Meek appears to have been sub-
stituted for that of Bocholt; the latter having first been imperfectly
erased for the purpose. I possess indeed, in my own collection, two
different impressions of one of these engravings. The first im-
pression, evidently taken off before the plate had been worn by print-
ing, is marked FvB. In the second impression, which was printed
after Meek, the second proprietor of the plate, had retouched it all
over, the letters FvB, after being imperfectly scraped out, appear
to have been changed into IVM.
Bartsch thinks it not improbable that Francis Von Bocholt was
the master of Van Meek. I shall only add, that he was an artist of
great merit; that his figures are designed with great purity of style;
and that his manner of engraving bears considerable resemblance
to that of the ancient engraver who used the initials (£>S' The
assertion of Strutt, (Dictionarj-, vol. i. p. 108) that his engravings
" are, in general, stiff, laboured copies, from the works of Israel
Van Mecheln and Martin Schoen," is utterly unfounded.
No. 1. Sampson strangling the Lion. The mark is at bottom.
Height, 5 inches 3-4ths : width, 3 inches 3-4ths.
2. The Judgment of Solomon. The mark of the artist at bottom.