CIRCA 1660-65, THE DECORATION BY JOHANN SCHAPER, NUREMBERG

The landscape scene is after an engraving by Gabriel Perelle, whose engravings were frequently used by Schaper for the basis of his decoration. The distant fortified bridge on the present lot is not present on Perelle’s engraving, and is presumably an addition of Schaper’s. A Delft birnkrug decorated by Schaper (signed and dated 1663) follows the Perelle engraving more faithfully (see Bosch, ibid., p. 37, fig. 10b for the engraving). The tightly-packed decoration of the cartouche of the present lot, and the similarity of the dogs clambering to attack the central bird, bear a striking similarity to a 1664 ornamental design engraving by Johann Heel (one of 6 engravings illustrated by Bosch, ibid., p. 501). Heel also decorated fayence in Nuremberg, and his cartouches often featured tightly packed decoration.