Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767) + Georg Adam Eger (? Murrhardt 1727 – 1808). Two etchings from Ridinger’s Par Force Hunt of the Stag in their pure image size printed on grounded sheet zinc, executed as oil paintings in the colors of Hesse-Darmstadt by Eger or his circle, possibly partially under use of tempera. Ca. 3rd quarter of the 18th century. 26.2 x 47.2 cm. In green-bright gold frame.
Thieme-Becker, Eger, X, 369; Siebert, Kranichstein, (Hunting Seat of the Landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt); Hofmann, (Guide through the Hunting Museum Kranichstein Castle Darmstadt); erlebnis ridinger 69 with ills.
(The Relays Are Set Out by the Commander of the Hunt)
Thienemann 53. – Sheet 5 of the set, together title sheet of its second part. – “To keep order with this number of humans and animals … exact places have been assigned by the most noble leaders of the hunt where the relay horses, the different braces of dogs, together with their mounted leaders, should stop. Our sheet is filled with such troops partly stopping, partly moving ahead in divisions. The stewards are busy quite in front.”
Offer no. 28,044 / price on request
(The Stag Turns to Bay in the Water, the Hounds are Ceased and He Receives the Coup de grâce)
Thienemann 61. – Sheet 13 of the set, together title sheet of its fourth and last part. – “The whole party has assembled around the water.”
Offer no. 28,045 / price on request
Here unequalled unique items from the group of the “ sheet-metal paintings ” at the court in Darmstadt as autonomous paintings of most beautiful appeal and in regard of the non-occurrence of own Ridinger oil singularly charming Ridinger top items whose uniforms are “designed in the colors of the landgraves, later grand-dukes of Hesse-Darmstadt. Especially by Georg Adam Eger … there exist a couple of hunting paintings that correspond almost up to details with your colors”. Engaged as Court Hunting Painter in Darmstadt in 1748, already in 1750 Louis VIII entrusted him with a journey at the court in Vienna “to present an artistic clock to Mary Theresa. After (Johann Christian) Fiedler’s death in 1765 title of a second court painter … Most talented court hunting painter. Representations (especially) of the par force hunt and the Dianaburg” (Siebert). The connection to the Ridingers, however, existed – presumably at least initiated with by Joseph Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt as Prince Bishop at Augsburg from 1740-1768 – from the side of Eger after whose designs Martin Elias (Thieme-Becker erroneously “Joh. El.”) worked seven engravings.
The discussion of this close contact is important for both the artistic as also the chronological classification of the present sheet-metal paintings. For microscopical examinations on the basis of picture Thienemann 61 in both the Regional Museum Bonn and the Municipal Art Collections Augsburg – repeated thanks for this to Mrs. Kalus and Mr. Beier – have revealed unobjectionably that the painting was not effected on mounted impressions on paper, for which according to the kind information of the paper restorer of the Art Museum Bonn, Mrs. Büttner, sheet-zinc would not be suitable just for pure technical reasons, the plates, however, show in every detail the full image part of the engravings, they thus must be, as known as quite possible, direct impressions from the original plates onto the grounding of the plate-zinc. This, however, inevitably requires the co-operation of the Ridingers, as given by the afore-mentioned close connection.
Shining in local colors, dark in the wood parts, the palette is visibly co-determined by the graphic design. The unsigned works of Eger and his assistants moreover, so Judge Wolfgang Weitz, formerly with the Stiftung Hessischer Jägerhof, largely not to be distinguished from each other. Dr. Gode Krämer, Emeritus Curator for paintings at the Augsburg Art Collections, sees the chronological scope from end of 18th to early 19th century to which the considerations here ensue.
The condition of the images all around fine. The certain granularity to the opinion of the concerned restorers either traces of oxidation of the plates or resulting from their roughening for better adhesion, but not endangering the painting. Also the varnish shall be healthy. In short ,
plates to seize the opportunity .
Plates which counter the almost oilless state of the Ridingers most splendidly .