The Death of the Virgin (B. 33.; L., Holl. 16)

Details

Martin Schongauer
The Death of the Virgin (B. 33.; L., Holl. 16)
engraving, before 1481, a very good impression of the rare first state (Hollstein records a total of 21 impressions), on laid paper with a Small Bull's Head with a Rod and Star watermark (Lehrs 48), as called for on impressions of this state, trimmed on or just outside the borderline all around, the two upper corners very skilfully made-up, a skilfully repaired and thinly backed tear along a horizontal central fold, two short, repaired tears at the upper sheet edge, the thin horizontal lines on the bed canopy strengthened with pen and ink, possible touches of pen and ink elsewhere, otherwise in good condidtion
S. 256 x 169 mm.

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Lot Essay

Giorgio Vasari was possibly the first to praise the Death of the Virgin of 'Bel Martino' as one of Schongauer's most important prints. Yet long before Vasari published his Vite de' più eccellenti architetti... in 1550, the composition had already been extensively copied and disseminated beyond Germany, into Italy and Flanders, where it might even have influenced Hugo van der Goes' famous painting of the same subject in Bruges. The relatively large number of impressions from the original plate, approximately seventy impressions are known, further testify to the popularity of this plate. Impressions of the present first state however are rare. Hollstein records a total of 21 first state impressions.

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