Images and prose on an Anacreontic theme

Anacreontische Bilder und Dichtungen: a bound draft of Tischbein's illustrated Anacreontic cycle

Details

Images and prose on an Anacreontic theme
Anacreontische Bilder und Dichtungen: a bound draft of Tischbein's illustrated Anacreontic cycle
the softbound album of twenty-three leaves with two additional leaves of text bound in, extensively inscribed with commentaries relating to seven drawings:
1. A triple rainbow seen across fields (dated '23 August 1814')
2. Der kleiner Dintenhändler (The little inkseller): A naked youth refilling an inkpot
3. Entwined vine tendrils with three hovering dragonflies, a rainbow across fields beyond
4. Das Taubennest auf Hectors Grabmahl (sic.) (The dove nest on Hector's tomb): A pair of doves by a nest with two eggs
5. A branch of Oleander entwined with vine tendrils
6. Mit Tigerreitz: A tiger leaping from an open pink flower
7. Shipping on a wide river, a rainbow seen beyond (dated 'der 4 Sep 1814')
black chalk, pen and grey ink, watercolor
the album 9¾ x 8 in. (250 x 205 mm.) (7)

Lot Essay

Tischbein sent an illustrated draft of his Anakreontische Dichtungen to Goethe in Weimar in 1817 (M. Oppel, 1991, nos. 52-57), however the dates on the present drawings, together with their freedom of handling, suggest that this album predates that draft.

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