Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). The Vengeance of a Lowly on a Mighty is pernicious (or, so in the new edition of 1825, Powerless rage destroys itself). An elephant travelling on an educational trip through Europe has hurt inadvertently a pertness little fox whereupon its whole tribe considered to punish the colossus. But shortly “the army was pulverized”. Etching + engraving. (1744.) Inscribed: J. E. Ridinger inv. sculp. et excud., otherwise as above in German, French, and Latin. 33.6 x 25.1 cm.
Thienemann + Schwarz 771; Metzner-Raabe, Illustr. Fabelbuch, 1998, vol. II (Bodemann), 123.I. – Sheet 7 of the intellectually as optically exceedingly charming “Instructive Fables from the Animals’ Kingdom for Improvement of the Manners and especially for the Instruction of the Youth”.
Splendid early impression . – Without the numbering above right unknown in general, but appearing later. – Lying loosely on bluish-grey paper of the early 18th century watermarked SICKTE along with a C, open to the left, under a crown of a prince (Von Veltheim paper mill at Sickte, Lower Saxony) on which it was mounted in the second half of the 19th century. – Above mostly trimmed on platemark, otherwise throughout with a little margin additionally to the fine white platemark itself. – Brown stipples in the left ear of the elephant.
Offer no. 12,505 / price on request
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“ The fable belongs to the artist as to the poet, and one lighted the other’s light ”
(Chr. L. Hagedorn 1762)