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The poet Virgil suspended in a basket

Print
after 1525 (made)
Artist/Maker

Like his contemporary, Albrecht Dürer, Lucas van Leyden was internationally recognised within his lifetime and beyond. Giorgio Vasari, writing in 1568, praised Leyden's fine engraving style and his use of perspective. Fine quality early impressions of his prints are rare. Copper printing plates are capable of producing only one or two hundred fine impressions before the plate starts to wear down, especially with a fine line engraving style as Leyden's. Such was Leyden's reputation and his prints so sought by collectors that his original printing plates were kept and impressions taken from them long after his death, resulting in a larger number of surviving poor and worn impressions than fine ones. Numerous copies were also made from his originals, which satisfied demand when originals were not available or affordable and for collectors of images interested more in subject matter.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe poet Virgil suspended in a basket (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Engraving in ink on paper
Brief description
Engraving, The poet Virgil suspended in a basket, Lucas Hugensz van Leyden (called Lucas Jacobsz); after 1525.
Physical description
The scene is set inside a castle. In the background is the courtyard and round tower from which Virgil is seen dangling in a basket. Clusters of people stand and point in the courtyard. In the foreground, separated from the courtyard by a low wall on which is a winged dog statue, is an archway with decorative carving and columns. A group of people, men, women and young children, mostly expensively dressed, stand or sit in the area just in front of the archway and talk amongst themselves or point towards the tower.
Style
Marks and inscriptions
L / 1525 (Artist initial inscribed on plate on a rock, bottom left)
Subjects depicted
Summary
Like his contemporary, Albrecht Dürer, Lucas van Leyden was internationally recognised within his lifetime and beyond. Giorgio Vasari, writing in 1568, praised Leyden's fine engraving style and his use of perspective. Fine quality early impressions of his prints are rare. Copper printing plates are capable of producing only one or two hundred fine impressions before the plate starts to wear down, especially with a fine line engraving style as Leyden's. Such was Leyden's reputation and his prints so sought by collectors that his original printing plates were kept and impressions taken from them long after his death, resulting in a larger number of surviving poor and worn impressions than fine ones. Numerous copies were also made from his originals, which satisfied demand when originals were not available or affordable and for collectors of images interested more in subject matter.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Bartsch, Adam von. Le Peintre Graveur. Leipzig, J.A. Barth, 1854-1876.
  • The New Hollstein: Dutch & Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts, 1450-1700. Roosendaal. Koninklijke Van Poll in cooperation with the Rijksprentenkabinet, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 1993-
  • Cornelis, Bart and Jan Piet Filedt Kok. The taste for Lucas van Leyden prints. In: Simiolus - Netherlands Quarterly for the History of Art. 26: 1/2 (1998).
Other number
Bartsch 136
Collection
Accession number
E.834-1885

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Record createdDecember 22, 2008
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