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拍品專文
This charming interior is one of a series of six engravings by Israhel van Meckenem, each showing a couple engaged in domestic scenes or recreational activities. The couple depicted here is emblematic of marital harmony, as wife and husband are playing a table organ together, her working the bellows and him playing the melody. It is an intimate, joyous moment in a comfortable setting, a compact scene enriched with many exquisite details, such as the convex mirror on the wall above the wife, the geometrically patterned, tiled floor, the smiling dog as a symbol of loyalty, and the emphasized view into the marital bed chamber in the background.
It is worth remembering in this context that Meckenem himself produced a very moving double portrait of himself and his wife Ida in 1490, which is not only the first self-portrait, but also the first signed one and the first portrait of artist with his wife in the history of European printmaking.
Despite Meckenem's apparent commercial success as an engraver, the present print is missing from many important public collections, and is of great rarity on the art market. We were able to trace only one other impression to be sold at auction in over 30 years.
It is worth remembering in this context that Meckenem himself produced a very moving double portrait of himself and his wife Ida in 1490, which is not only the first self-portrait, but also the first signed one and the first portrait of artist with his wife in the history of European printmaking.
Despite Meckenem's apparent commercial success as an engraver, the present print is missing from many important public collections, and is of great rarity on the art market. We were able to trace only one other impression to be sold at auction in over 30 years.