Deutsch
“ … make a quite pretty hunt ”
The Toils of 1717 – The Toils Plate of 1729
Unprecedentedly Unique
the Unison of Time + Sujet
Ridinger, Johann Elias (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). The Hunting Ground surrounded by Flaring Cords. In front feather cord, set back above
the row of toils
under which the first stag already dies while a royal one still is about to leap over these, but will himself fall prey to the fire of the shooter front right. In the interior of the forest another noble one rather prefers to give the hunters the slip by putting offside. Copper-printing-plate in reverse. (1729.) Inscribed: Ioh. El. Ridinger inv. pinx. sculps. et exc. A. V. / avec privil. de sa Majeste Imp. 30.5 x 23.4 cm.
Hunting Toils of George William Margrave at Brandenburg (1678-1726) with crowned eagle arms between the monogram GWMZB and the year 1717 on the one and
raised stag of 12 points held at bay by hound of the pack
on the other side. Set of four at obviously original rope of 403 cm length + 2 x 20 cm hooking turn up. Hand-cloth-printing in reddish brown + black on sacking-colored (3) and grey ground resp. 62-63 x 35-40 cm.
In outside as inside uniform
joint ruby red morocco cassette
(75.5 x 48 x 8.2 cm) with 4 imitated ribs, 2 dark green gilt back plates, gilt bipartite title with year as well as gilt lining on the frontcover as well as “ridinger handlung niemeyer” at the lower inner edge of the backcover, all in 23.5 carat, with the solitaires laid into under polycarbonate glass (more resistant to aging + UV light than Plexiglas, but equally scratch-sensitive).
On the left the optically excellently preserved
original printing-plate
to one of the eight smaller-sized sheets (Thienemann + Schwarz 17; Stubbe, 1966, plate 4) of the instructive educational set of the “Princely Hunting Pleasure” from 1729 worked in etching with engraving as the earliest one of the major hunting sets of the œuvre now executed in copper by Ridinger himself
in the reddish golden brilliance
of its
279 years old copper ,
here traced back far beyond Thieme-Becker (vol. XXVIII, 1933, p. 308) + Thienemann (1856, p. XXIII) seamlessly directly to the master’s estate itself as a worldwide unique collector’s object of degrees. For
“ Preserved original 18th century printing-plates
are a great rarity ”
(Stefan Morét in Ridinger Catalog Darmstadt, 1999, pp. 62 f. See also the copper-printing-plates there I.13, I.8 + I.11, color ills. 6 + b/w ills. pp. 63 f.).
And especially on Ridinger’s :
“ Of the high technical and qualitative standard of the works of Ridinger and his sons collaborating in the workshop especially as engravers the (only very partially) preserved printing-plates bear witness still today. ”
In the same sense then already before Bernadette Schöller in “[The Cologne Graphic Market at the Time of Wenzel Hollars]” within [Václav Hollar – The Cologne Years] ed. by Werner Schäfke, Cologne 1992, p. 19:
“ The copper-plates
which on the basis of both their material value and the working times invested therein , too ,
enjoyed a far higher esteem
than , e.g., a preparatory drawing handled only too often disrespectfully … ”
As then elsewhere, too: “The Nuremberg publisher Frauenholz was so taken with this work that he acquired the plate from Reinhart (1761-1847) for a considerable sum” (Teeuwisse III [2007], 29).
And quite concretely Cornelis Koeman in Atlantes Neerlandici II (1969), pp. 138 + 345:
“ One of the most dramatic events in the early history of commercial cartography in Amsterdam was the sale of Jodocus Hondius, Jr.’s copper-plates to Willem Jansz. Blaeu in 1629, the year of his death. At least 34 plates, from which Jodocus II had printed single-sheet maps for his own benefit, passed into the hands of his great competitor. Immediately after that, his brother, Henricus, and Joannes Janssonius (brother-in-law of the latter) ordered the engraving of identical plates. ”
Whereby the communicated process of this order documents
the whole value of copper-printing-plates
once more :
The placing to the engravers Evert Symontsz. Hamersvelt and Salomon Rogiers by notarial act laying down the completion of now 36 plates within 18 months, worked “accurately and finely, yes, finer and better and not less in quality than the maps given to the engravers. The principals will pay to the undertakers 100 carolus guilders for each engraved plate and will also pay the copper itself and the polishing. Five hundred guilders will be paid in advance in order to afford the undertakers to pay the labourers.” Regarding the inclusion of independent temporary engravers as obviously usage the principals “will during the said period not be allowed to employ any of the following (seven) engravers … or any one else who should be employed by the undertakers, with excemption of (two ones). If Salomon Rogiers (obviously specialized letter engraver) came to die within the aforesaid period, it will be up to Evert Symontsz to decide if he wants to stop or to continue with the work, by lack of a good letter engraver. If Evert Symontsz came to die (prematurely) … Salomon Rogiers is forced to complete the task, provided that more time will be available for him.”
As we visualize these informative details the plates inevitably gain in additional intimacy. Telling of pressures and time-need if co-players did an unexpcted clever move which could become commercially threatening, whereby term of delivery and considered number of engravers illustrate abruptly the advantage of the competition. And just the pure labor value of such a plate pointed out with already above by Bernadette Schöller, here multiplied by a degree of accuracy of a map transfer with its, not at least and specially, see above, infinite local inscriptions! As said, truly dramatic.
Yet in the case here, remember, regarding nevertheless always only reproduction plates. What an artistic and therewith timeless factor determines the value then only there, where the genius of the artist himself draws the lines, leads the needle, strengthening the intensity of the etching there and taking it back here, imposing the own vision upon the copper! Here + today then in such a manner Ridinger plates!
And so it was said then here also on occasion of the reappearance of parts of the so-called Thieme-Becker block of Ridinger’s printing-plates “One of the most sensational discoveries in art history … Ridinger’s original printing- (sic!!!) plates”. That the present one
has been worked exclusively by the master himself
shall be mentioned expressly. Just as then also documented by the inscription above.
Sheltered from tarnishing by varnish
the present plate is generally printable in the ordinary course of its use during the times, but its final quality is not warranted.
And what said private Ridinger plate purchasers generally ?
“ You have surprised me ”,
so a retired presiding judge purchasing two of these cimelies
of which he had impressions been done
(see Ridinger catalogue Darmstadt, 1999, I.10 + I.12).
“ I would like to thank you ,
the plates are more beautiful than I had expected ,
I take both , no question ”,
so an entrepreneur who in the meantime bought three further ones.
“ … and I know the plate will only gain in value ”,
so an American purchaser.
And in 2001 the Augsburg Art Collections presented the acquired 12-plate set for the Paradise suite
within the exposition “KUNSTREICH” as the important acquisitions of the last decade
(catalogue KUNSTREICH no. 102, pp. 198-201).
Finally to complement all facts above by a comparison of the valuations once and now as possible on the basis of the said map-plates proves to be both interesting and informative:
In 1630 Hondius-Janssonius paid said 100 guilders (in the Northern Netherlands of the 17th/18th centuries 20 stuivers came on one guilder and 16 pennies on a stuiver) for the engraving of each single map-plate additionally to the copper itself and its polishing. Compared with this in 1670 the publisher’s price for Joan Blaeu’s 12 and 11-volume resp. Atlas Maior from the 1660s with its about 600 (sic!) maps – Le Grande Atlas as the most exciting atlas event of all times published in a total edition of just under 1000 copies – made in its standard edition in decorated vellum and colored in outline only just 450 and 430 resp. guilders! Nevertheless inevitably meant only “for a small circle of customers … (for the) requirement of representation of rich merchants and shipowners”. For a normal daily earnings made in the thought span of time 1 guilder on the flat country of the west, in the south + east only between ½ + 1 guilder. For specialists a little more, for farm hands somewhat less. And in the cities about the double.
For the early 1970s Traudl Seifert, then keeper of the map division of the Bavarian State Library, figured for the Atlas Maior in the standard edition a shop price of about 150 thousand German marks. On a 1984 auction sale an 11-volume copy estimated irrespectively of 5 missing maps at 250 thousand was paid with totally 347700 DM. A rise to 80760% from the publishing on 300 years ago! Which on their part already date back two decades!
Analogously to this the 100 guilders costs for engraving per each plate in 1630 would have been multiplied about just the 807fold to 80760 DM and 41292 EUR resp. per 1984, one DM put roughly on a par with a guilder, freely granting this to be so. Yet, surely, but only, requiring alone skilled ability.
(Basing on Koeman, as above; Traudl Seifert, Der Atlas major des Joan Blaeu, in Börsenblatt für den Deutschen Buchhandel, Frankfort edition of February 25, 1975; and statistic sources.)
And so the most elitist frequently still is the most economy-priced one .
Thematically , however, belonging to the hunt-didactic works of Ridinger’s, his effort to pass on to all,
from the apprentice upwards ,
the sportsmanlike equipment a good hunter needs. Correspondingly then the rich – in reverse here of course – subtext, parallel in German + French:
“ This has been invented for both big and small game so that without special costs and much stuff one can give oneself a pleasant joy, make a pretty hunt with few folks and just one leader. When the stags, or roes are surrounded
one takes these cloth-toils
in bundles on a hook, lets them run off and then surrounds the thicket or place where the game is accustomed to stay in, such has to happen in as much silence as possible. There are also feather cords bound below so that not some game leaps beneath. If it is now surrounded so the huntsmen disperse for their places on the outside; after that one starts quite leisurely to drive as then the game is used to run about, and presents itself to the hunter to shoot; it has to be taken good care, however, that there is not shot from many places at the same time, for so one forces them too heavily they fall over the cords and bolt. ”
(Which latter situation the shooter is waiting beyond the cords faces.)
La Chasse environnée des Cordes
“ Cette maniere de chasser est propre pour toutes sortes de Venaison ou on peut se divertir sans beaucoup de depenses et a peu de gens et d’un seul chien Quand les Cerfs ou les Chevreuils se trouvent renfermés dans un bois, ou environ(n)e cet endroit ou les bêtes se tiennent avec des Enceintes; cela se doit faire en cachete et en silence qu’il est possible, et ces enceintes se doivent bien fermer en bas asinque les Bêtes ne puissant echapper. Quand cela est fait soigneusement, les Veneurs se partagent de toutes cotés, et se mettent en poste. Alors on commence à lancer les Bêtes qui courent ou on les tire aisement. Mais il y a bien à observer, qu’on doit prendre garde que plusieurs ne tirent ensemble, car quand les Bêtes sont forcées trop, elles tachent de s’enfager outres les enceites et echapent. ”
“ … the setting up and design of the hunt (however)
belonged to the artistic jobs of the 18th century ”
(so in a 1991 exhibition catalogue of the Hamburg Art Gallery commenting on a Ridinger item).
The hunt in the age of Ridinger thus arthistorically no longer understood separately on its own, separate thus also not Ridinger himself as its mere protagonist, but seen as standing in closest context with the century as a whole. Thereby, however, its undisputed Grand Master no longer stands for simply the hunt, but just for a whole epoch. With all the challenge for research which inevitably results from this. And also results from it as at the same place
“ the engraved , etched , and mezzotinted work of Ridinger
is compared as equal-ranking
to the major graphic works of the 18th century . ”
That is, literally:
“ As Piranesi addressed those interested in the ancient , Hogarth the civic common sense by their works (likewise) annotated by engraved explanations, Ridinger doubtless had the interest of the courts and the nobility on his side . ”
Adequately exemplary for the above then
the magnificent reddish-golden
copper-printing-plate
worked by the master himself ,
arranged in the ruby red morocco interior of the frontcover of the cassette with the gilt-tooled subinscription
Johann Elias Ridinger
Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767
Das mit Flammen-Schnüren umstellte Jagen
1729
Final checking aside the theme of the toils is found with Ridinger yet once more only in the though larger scaled, but purely pictorial scene of Thienemann 337, besides not transferred into copper by himself but by Martin Elias, the plate of which was sold here moreover into museum possession. Present one then thematically par excellence going into in medias res and additionally in this respect the one and only one still obtainable.
On the right then as documents of the practice itself the toils of just that engraved everyday hunt life vis-à-vis. And the creation of both
in a chronological interval of just 12 years !
And thematically tailor-made on the top of it! And four at a piece into the bargain ! Commented as
“ in the closer sense the clothes, nets, and toils required for the arrangement of encircled huntings. One distinguishes: 1) Dazzle clothes which have the purpose to shrink back the game; to this effect belong … b) Cloth toils consisting of large toils of strong grey cloth about ½ m in the square fixed on top of a 150 paces long rope thick as a finger on which are placed
the monogram of the hunting lord ,
often also the year of making
(as both then here) … One arranges these toils as freely as possible so they can be seen by the game already from afar on the lines over which it shall not flee away … Especially in windy weather the game is frightened away by the toils fluttering to and fro. But when it is very much disturbed, so it respects these no longer … After each use the hunting clothes must be well dried and overhauled. One keeps the same in special hunting cloth houses which are so installed that sufficient air can flue constantly therewith the clothes will not become foxing … ”
(Meyers Convers.-Lex., 4th ed., IX [1889], 127 f.).
This caring preservation then present set of four corresponds to with respect
to its purpose of use ,
that is its game pedigree .
Inevitably faded and with color abrasions, indeed, but not moldy, the general condition is fine with the most beautiful one lying on top presenting the
stag-hound-motif
with reverse shining through
of the master’s of the hunt monogram + the year .
The hunt dominion of additional prominence as the Ordre de la Sincérité – Order of Sincerity – founded by Margrave George William in 1705 and organized in 1712, renamed to Red Eagle Order by Margrave George Frederick Charles in 1734, became under the latter name the second highest Prussian order in 1792! And by this one of the major ones of the age. – Shortly ,
the Toils Copy
in its grandeur
as an overall work of art sui generis
There’s nothing more elitist
And at least in conjunction with Ridinger worldwide unique on the market .
Offer no. 14,992 / price on request