Anthony Van Dyck - Josse de Momper

Sir Anthony Van Dyck

PORTRAIT OF JOSSE DE MOMPER
Famous paintr of landscaprs, Antwerp (1564-1635)

One of his rare own handed etched portraits from the Iconographia
and here in first state!

Reference: MH 7 ( I / V )
This is a first state, pure etching. Before any letter, before adding of the image borderline.
The image borderline is only suggested by weak lines.

This is from the famous Iconographia composed by Sir Anthony Van Dyck,

Icones Principum Virorum Doctorup Pictorum Chalcographorum Satuariorium nec non amatorum pictoria artis numero centum ab Antonio van Dijck pictoe ad vivum axpressae eiusque sumptibus aeri incisae.

The Iconography was a collection of portrait prints made after drawings and paintings by van Dyck. Only eighteen were etched by the artist himself (Mauquoy-Hendrickx 1-18). The majority, however, are engravings made by a variety of the most prominent printmakers of his time. This anthology of portraits of artists, soldiers, statesmen, administrators, and scholars, a conspectus of the most distinguished men and women of his time, went through many editions. The edition published by Martinus van den Enden during van Dyck's lifetime consisted of eighty portraits. Van Dyck prepared these prints by making oil sketches and drawings in black chalk, sometimes washed with brown ink.The Iconography of Anthony Van Dyck is considered as the highlight in portrait engraving and a monument in engraving art.

Van Dyck himself etched less then twenty of this portraits and in most cases only some major lines. Most portraits are made after grey painted sketches. Although this portraits have almost always the same attitude, head in three quarter profile, with gives them a stately or proud-elegant style. Never was more spontaneity and fresh originality achieved.  

Condition:
Excellent early impression. 
In this quality and early state very rare.