Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Evangelische Kirchen Visitation. View through a curtain hold together at the top by rocaille title-cartouche with palm branches onto a meeting of the consistory with Luther and his sovereign at the center of the assembled secularity and clergy disputing and studying writings under the maxim John V, 39 “Look for in the Book” composed “stage-like in the sense of a closed scene” (Schöne). The inner circle at the table in the center, the outer in a wide semicircle. Between the upper windows of the otherwise covered walls paintings to I Sam. VII, 16 / II Kings 11, 1, 4 + 5 / Matt. IX, 35 / Acts VIII, 14 + Acts XV, 36. Etching by Johann Jacob Kleinschmidt (1687 Augsburg 1772). (1727.) Inscribed in the plate: Elias Riedinger (sic!) delin. / Ioh. Iacob Kleinschmidt Sculpsit, otherwise as above. 23.6 x 31.7 cm.
Provenance: Collection Alfred Coppenrath , Regensburg, his sale part II (Leipsic 1889), no. 1606 and qualified there as “Extremely scarce broadsheet in undescribed state”.
That is as proof and state of Stillfried (1876) + Schwarz (1910, Ridinger-Collection Ritter von Gutmann) 1381; Reich auf Biehla 282 ( “Backed. / Interesting sheet … Extremely rare”, 1894 ! Without state detail.); Boerner CXXII, 1385 (the copy of Conte Constanza C…..a, Milan, “Utmost scarce”, 1913, without state detail) + Wend, Additions to the catalogues raisonné of prints, I, 1 (1975), 43:
The picture worked in the context of the “Augsburg Peace Paintings” (1650/1-1789) is intended for the annual gift of 1728. Whereby the accompanying typographic text “is only glued in many cases” (Gode Krämer; in this manner the copies Stillfried, Schwarz, Faber-Castell), and thus printed seperately. With the copy of The Augsburg Municipal Art Collections it is printed on the back of the etching. The copy here, too, has the text on the back – but it is the text for the “Peace Painting” of 1727 engraved by Steidlin after Thelott!
But by this not in no way a proof of the engraving of 1728 on a waste paper with the text of 1727! Because the text of 1727 is set absolutely independently. The title text in much more spacious typography and in a different order, the initial bigger, deviating the order of the text, and additionally with a more reserved border decoration just between the two columns instead of the broad side, middle, and lower borders on the known backside texts of 1727 + 1728 also widely corresponding in their typesetting. Thus a baffling unique item hitherto unknown to the collections at Augsburg .
Generally not in Thienemann (1856); Weigel, Kunstlager-Cat., parts I-XXVIII (1838-1857); (Ridinger-)Catalogue Helbing XXXIV (1900, 1554 items!).
Watermark: crown over coat-of-arms. – In the upper left corner of the broad white margin repaired triangular tear of c. 1-1.5 cm, the upper margin with slim trace of dirt, absolutely smoothed center fold not visible from the front, otherwise quite untouched.
Offer no. 28,250 / price on request