| Method | Copper engraving |
| Artist | [Cornelis Galle the Elder after Maerten de Vos] |
| Published | [M. de Vos figuravit. C. Galle Sculp. C. de Mallery excud.][c.1635] |
| Dimensions | Image 145 x 108 mm |
| Notes |
A French reissue of this rare emblematic illustration of the rewards of sin, one of a series published by Carel van Mallery representing the Sins and Penance of Man. The original plate, engraved by Cornelis Galle after a design by de Vos, featured four extracts of scripture in Latin in each corner. For this revised plate, the text has been translated into French, and the inscription line at the bottom of the image has been erased. The central octagonal panel depicts a young man, naked but for a loin cloth, being bound to a tree by a pair of cavorting demons. The youth, his hands crossed over his chest, stares intently at one of his captors, a bull headed minotaur with spiked reptilian tail and feathered wings. His opposite number is another chimaerical creature, with taloned birds-feet, serpentine tail, thickly haired waist, horned pendulate breasts, leathery wings, and two pairs of horns on her grinning face. The tree to which they bind their prey is the Tree of Life, its roots intermingled with the skulls and bones of Death and its branches reaching to the heavens, where Christ sits in judgement amidst a chorus of angels. The scene is surrounded by a strapwork border, and roundels in each of the four corners contain passages from scrupture: 'L'impie est pris par ses propres crimes. Pro.5.' - The impious is ensnared by his own crimes. Proverbs 5. 'Captif dans la misere et dans les fers. Ps. 106.' - Captive in misery and in chains. Psalm 106. 'Seigneur brisez le ioug de nostre captivite. Ps. 125.' Lord, break the yoke of our captivity. Psalm 125. 'Seigneur retirez le captif de l'opression. Isa. 42.' - Lord, remove the captive from oppression. Isiah 42. Cornelis Galle the Elder (1576-1650) was a Flemish engraver and printmaker, a younger son of Philips Galle, and younger brother of Theodoor. Born in Antwerp, he learned the rudiments of engraving from his father, but perfected his craft in Rome before returning to his native Flanders. Maerten de Vos (1532-1603) was a Flemish painter and draughtsman. He was a pupil of his father Pieter de Vos and a follower of Frans Floris in Antwerp. Between 1550 and 1558 he travelled in Italy, visiting Rome, Venice and possibly Florence. In 1558 he became a master of the Antwerp Guild of St Luke. Between 1571 and 1572, he was dean of the Guild. From 1575 he mainly produced print designs. He was the father of the artists Daniel (1568-1605) and Maerten the Younger (1576-1613). Carel van Mallery or Charles de Mallery (1571-1645) was a Flemish engraver and publisher. Trained in Antwerp, he was a pupil of Philips Galle, whose daughter he married in 1598. In 1601 he was naturalised in Paris, where he remained for a short period before returning to Antwerp, where he was Dean of the Guild of St Luke in 1620-1621. Condition: Trimmed to image, with loss of inscription below, and laid to album page. |
| Framing | unmounted |
| Price | £200.00 |
| Stock ID | 52601 |