24th ILAB International Antiquarian Book Fair - Vereinigung der ...

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[Engelbrecht, Martin (1684–1756)]. Der Menschen
Zung und Gurgel Weid, Zur Notturfft
und Ergözlichkeit vorgestellt durch die unterschiedliche
Arten der Geträncke. Mit Kupfertitel
und 11 von 2–12 in der Platte nummerierten
Kupfertafeln, handkoloriert und teilweise
goldgehöht. Plates including title, all in contemporary
handcolouring heightened with gold.
Boards of grey-blue paper with title on a label
on the front cover. Margins slightly stained and
plate 11 with marginal tear. [Augsburg, Martin
Engelbrecht, um 1720]. CHF 35 000.–
Exceptionally rare suite in a lavish contemporary
colouring heightened with gold. A scintillating
example of the baroque mind-set interpreting an
allegory on circumstance of life. – The first plate,
containing the title followed by a fourteen-line
poem resuming the content, is set in a credence
like scroll-frame displaying drinking glasses, goblets,
flasks, cups, tankards and bottles. The following
eleven plates show persons relishing tobacco
and different beverages. According to circumstance
of life it begins with an infant sucking milk
from his nurse’s breast and ends with the taking
of medicine. Each representation is enclosed in an
oval frame captioned with a motto and the name
of the potion (milk, water, beer, wine, coffee and
tea, chocolate, tobacco, lemonade, mead, brandy,
medicament). Around each tableau are displayed
distinctive utensils and at the bottom a German
hexastich explaining the scene. – Although none
of the plates are signed, they are ascribed to Martin
Engelbrecht, one of the most prolific engravers
and art publishers in 18th century Germany. His
career starts with an apprenticeship with the Augsburg
engraver Gabriel Ehinger. In 1708 he works in
Berlin and then in Vienna and 1711 he enters the
shop of his brother Christian as a partner. In 1719,
finally, he establishes his own company provided
with an imperial privilege, protecting him against
fraudulent reprints. In his lifetime he produces a
corpus totaling over three thousand engravings,
specializing in achitecture and ornaments as well
Benjamin Spademan
5 A Brackenbury Gardens ∙ London W6 0BP, Grossbritannien
Telefon +44 (0)7768 076772 ∙ Fax +44 (0)20 8740 6045
E-Mail: benspademan@hotmail.com
Literatur ∙ Reisen ∙ Architektur
as in the allegorical and the grotesque, like the then
very fashionable dwarf suites. Although the bulk of
his engravings are not uncommon, complete series
in good condition are scarce, and Der Menschen
Zung und Gurgel Weid belonging to one of the rarest.
– We could only trace four copies: two incomplete
copies in institutions (Stift Göttweig, Austria
(only 10 plates); Germanisches Nationalmuseum,
Graphische Sammlung (lacking plate 2 and 7);
the copy in the Beinecke Library, mentioned by
Faber du Faur contains only the title page: «Twelve
monthly representations of dwarfs, having no connection
with the title page.») and two other ones in
the trade (Carl Rolas du Rosey coll. sold by Weigel,
Leipzig 1864, n° 6630, the 5th of 6 suites of a sammelband;
Berlin, Max Perl, 1937, sale 197, n° 719;
the copy of the Öttingen-Wallerstein coll., sold by
Karl & Faber, Munich 1934, sale IX, n° 278 is most
probably the one in Beinecke library).
Bibliographie: Schott, Martin Engelbrecht, 3179–
87 (lacking plates 10–12); Faber du Faur 1842 (only
title page!).
124 24th ILAB International Antiquarian Book Fair