Pieter BRUEGEL the Elder: Ver (Spring) - 1570

SOLD

Engraving, 227 x 288 mm, by Pieter van der HEYDEN (c. 1530 - c. 1572) after the preparatory drawing by Pieter BRUEGEL the Elder. Edited by Hieronymus COCK. Lebeer 77, 1st state (of 3); Orenstein 106, 1st state (of 4); New Hollstein (Bruegel) 29, 1st state (of 3).

A good impression of the first state, trimmed on the borderline or 1 or 2 mm outside. Sheet: 229 x 291 mm.

Some skinning of paper surface verso and a vertical 40 mm tear middle bottom carefully restaured. Backed with thin Japan paper.

This engraving belongs to a set of four plates depicting the Four Seasons edited by Hieronymus Cock in 1570. Bruegel died in 1569 and therefore could provide only two preparatory drawings: Ver (Spring) and Aestas (Summer). Hans Bol was chosen by Hieronymus Cock to complete the set with Autumnus (Autumn) and Hyems (Winter). The preparatory drawing for Ver dated MDLXV, is in the collection of the Albertina, Wien.

Bibliography: L. Lebeer, Catalogue raisonné des estampes de Pierre Bruegel l’Ancien, Bruxelles, 1969; J. van Grieken, G. Luijten, J. van der Stock (dir.), Hieronymus Cock : La gravure à la Renaissance, Bruxelles, 2013, n°71, p. 266-269.