| Title: |
Scurrarum Est (He is a Fool, Woodcutters Gathering Branches from a Fallen Tree) |
| Engraver: |
Neefs, Jacobus 'Jacob Neeffs' (Antwerp, 1610-1660) |
| Engraver: |
Pauwels, Andries 'Andries Pauli' (Antwerp, 1600-1639) |
| Designer: |
Diepenbeeck, Abraham van (1596-1675) |
| Date: |
1631 (1652 Edition) |
| Medium: |
Original Miniature Engraving & Etching |
| Publisher: |
Apud Vidua (Widow), Cnobbaert, Antwerp |
| Source: |
Antonium a Burgundia's, Linguae Vitia et Remedia |
| |
Jacobus Neefs (Jacob Neeffs): A seventeenth century Flemish
artist, Jacobus Neefs (Antwerp, 1610-1660), came from a well established
family of artists dating back at least three generations. He is listed
under various names which include, (Jacobus, Jakob or Jacob and Neefs
or Neeffs). Jacob Neefs was strictly a graphic artist and studied under
Lucas Vorsterman. Around 1630, he was admitted to the Guild of St. Luke
of Antwerp. Although he engraved many plates after his great contemporary,
Peter Paul Rubens, Jacobus Neefs was also associated with Anthony van
Dyke, Jacob Jordaens, Abraham van Diepenbeeck and others. For van Dyke,
he was employed to engrave some of the prints for the famous "Iconography",
for Jordaens, he engraved about four large plates and for van Diepenbeeck,
Jacobus Neefs also contributed engravings for the Linguae Vitia et
Remedia, Emblematice Expressa, Per Antonium a Burgundia first published in 1631.
The dated works of Neefs fall somewhere between 1630 and 1645. Artists
who studied under Jacobus Neefs include, Jacques van de Velde, Emanuel
van Winghen and others. Examples of Jakob Neeffs graphic compositions
include, St. Michael Overcoming the Evil Spirits engraved after Rubens,
Anthony van Dyke’s portrait of Joost de Hertoghe and the title
page of the Iconography, a self-portrait of Anthony van Dyck, The
Satyr Visiting the Peasant Family after Jacob Jordaens, Salome
with John The Baptist’s Head after Johannes de Doper and many other compositions
comprised of various subjects depicting portraiture, biblical, mythological,
allegorical and historical themes. This original miniature engraving
and etching entitled Scurrarum Est (He is a Fool, Woodcutters Gathering
Branches from a Fallen Tree), was engraved by Jacobus Neefs and or Andries Pauwels
(Andries Pauli), based upon a design created by the Flemish artist, Abraham van Diepenbeeck
(1596-1675). It hails from the 1652 edition of Antonium a Burgundia's, Linguae Vitia et Remedia. |
| |
Andries Pauwels the elder (Andries Pauli): A 17th century
Flemish draughtsman and engraver and etcher, Andries Pauwels the elder
(Antwerp, 1600-1639), also listed as (Andries Pauli), was mainly known
for his work as a graphic artist and illustrator and was a member of
the Guild in Antwerp. He studied under Lucas Vorsterman the elder (1595-1675),
but was highly influenced by the art of Jacques Callot (1652-1635). The
oeuvre of Andries Pauwels the elder is comprised of various subjects
depicting biblical themes and individual, historical and genre scenes.
Examples of his graphic art include, The Denial of St. Peter after Gerard
Seghers (1591-1651), The Tooth-Puller, after Theodor Rombouts (1597-1637),
and numerous engravings after Abraham van Diepenbeeck (1596-1675), for
Antonium a Burgundia's, Mundi Lapis Lyndius sive Vanitas per Vertatem
Falsi Accusata & Convicta. Along with Jacobus Neefs, Andries Pauwels
the elder also contributed engravings for the Linguae Vitia et Remedia,
Emblematice expressa per Antonium a Burgundia, a miniature emblem book
first published in Antwerp in 1631, containing two series of forty-five
emblems each, the first series commenting on the limitations and imperfections
of speech and the second on how to remedy these faults. Scurrarum Est
(He is a Fool, Woodcutters Gathering Branches from a Fallen Tree) hails from
the 1652 edition of Antonium a Burgundia's, Linguae Vitia et Remedia. |
| |
Abraham van Diepenbeeck: A Flemish painter and designer
of the Baroque era, Abraham van Diepenbeeck (Antwerp, 1596-1675), was
a student and assistant of the famous, Peter Paul Rubens. He was admitted
to the Guild of painters in 1638 and later became director of the Academy.
Abraham van Diepenbeeck is best known for his portraits, allegorical
and historical subjects and was first recognized for his paintings on
glass for a cathedral in Antwerp, the Church of the Dominicans as well
as other works. Abraham van Diepenbeeck traveled and lived in England
for several years (during the reign of Charles I), and was under the patronage
of the Duke of Newcastle. There, he created such works as the portrait
of the Duke of Newcastle and his family, as well as the portrait of Charles
II on horseback and an image for La Methode Nouvelle (1657)
engraved by the famous 17th century artist, Wenceslaus Hollar. |
| |
Abraham van Diepenbeeck also illustrated many educational,
religious, mythological, and historical books such as the fifty-eight
lavish mythological designs engraved by Cornelis Bloemaert for the Abbe
de Marolles’ Tableaux du Temple des Muses (1655), Horsemanship,
Methode et invention nouvelle de dresser les chevaus, (1658), The Holy
Bible: containing the bookes of the Old & New, and the designs
for both Antonium a Burgundia's, Mundi Lapis Lyndius sive Vanitas
per Vertatem Falsi Accusata & Convicta and the Linguae Vitia
et Remedia, Emblematice expressa, as well as numerous designs for
many other important 17th century books. |
| |
Today, Abraham van Diepenbeeck’s paintings can be
found in major collections such as the Hermitage Museum, the Louvre Museum
in Paris, the Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge, UK and
many other public and private institutions. |
| |
The Golden Age of Antwerp: The last half of the 16th and
the first half of the 17th centuries marked the Golden Age of Antwerp.
No city at this time could rival either its affluence or its artistic
activity. This was after all the cultural centre for Jacob Jordaens, Anthony
Van Dyck and Peter Paul Rubens. In particular, Rubens devoted much of
his skills to the services of Antwerp publishers such as Plantin. His
efforts combined with those of many others to give birth to some of the
greatest engravings and illustrated books in the history of the artform.
Such outstanding engravers as Paulus Pontius, Bolswert, Lucas Vorsterman
and the Galle brothers worked directly with Rubens and other Antwerp
artists. |
| |
Linguae Vitia et Remedia: This book was first published
in Antwerp in 1631. The complete opus consisted of about ninety original
engravings, each illustrative of a short moral fable or poem. Works of
this nature were termed 'Emblem Books' and are tremendously scarce. Each
of these miniature engravings was engraved by the early 17th century
artists, Andries Pauwels (Andries Pauli) and Jacobus Neefs (Jacob Neeffs)
based upon the designs of Abraham van Diepenbeeck. The high quality and
detail found within each work of art is also reminiscent of Cornelis
Galle and his workshop. |
| |
The engravings from Linguae Vitia et Remedia are generally
based upon the themes of language and communication and with the many
confusions resulting from them. The broad basis of these themes gave
the artist far reaching liberties to depict an almost infinite variety
of early 17th century life and thought. Thus, apart from their obvious
artistry, these beautiful miniature engravings provide an important observation
of this long past era. |
| |
This particular engraving is based upon the theme of language and communication.
The words loosely translated from Latin mean, Scurrarum, Scurr (buffoon, fool, dandy, rake, scurry)
Est (he is, she is, it is), so the meaning bay be "He's a Fool".
The scene in Scurrarum Est also reminds me of other old morals which read,
"When the tree has toppled over, anyone who wishes may gather the wood", meaning, that even the lowliest
(the poor and oppressed) may gather the fruits of the fallen Tormenter and
"The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth" The engraving depicts a group of woodcutters gathering
the branches of a fallen tree for the winter. A gentleman in finer garb is conversing
with one of them -- perhaps negotiating a price. Behind him a young boy carries a large bundle.
The figures, landscape and town in the background are all delineated with the
striking detail that is characteristic of the best of early miniature engraving. |
| Size: |
2 7/8 X 2 3/8 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height
preceding width of plate-mark or image.) |
| |
Framed and Matted with 100% Archival Materials |
| Condition: |
Printed upon early seventeenth century hand-made, laid paper
and with full margins as published in Antwerp for Antonium a Burgundia's, 1652 edition
of Linguae Vitia et Remedia, Emblematice expressa. A fine, early impression without
a trace of plate wear and in excellent condition throughout. This superb miniature engraving
entitled, Scurrarum Est (He is a Fool, Woodcutters Gathering Branches from a Fallen Tree) represents an important, original
example of early seventeenth century Flemish art. |
| Price: |
Sold - The price is no longer available. |
| Important Information: |
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