594 - R. VINKELES (1741-1816), Jupiter with lightning, 1773, Etching

R. VINKELES (1741-1816), Jupiter with lightning, 1773, Etching Reinier Vinkeles (1741 Amsterdam - 1816 ibid.): Jupiter with lightning Jupiter hurls bolts of lightning across a landscape featuring a village and a bridge, 1773, Etching Technique: Etching on Paper Impression Quality: Drawing clear lines with a beautiful, balanced shade of black. Inscription: lower left signed in the printing plate: "Vinkeles, del. et sculp.". At the lower part inscribed in the printing plate: "JUPITER ET LES TONNERRES. Fable CLXII.". Date: 1773 Description: A winged male deity sits upon clouds and hurls jagged bolts of lightning towards a landscape featuring houses, a bridge, a stream and small, decorative figures. His muscular body, covered only by a cloth, is bent forward; his arm and gaze are directed energetically downwards. Beside him, an eagle and a throne-like seat appear as attributes. Below, the people do not react individually, but form casual counter-figures to the celestial events. Dense parallel hatching, cross-hatching and delicate modulations in the clouds create chiaroscuro and a sense of depth. The composition combines dramatic diagonals at the top with the calm horizontality of the water in the foreground and a narrative distance at the bottom. Source: Jean de la Fontaine (1621 -1695 ) Fables choisies, 1802 | Book, Mythology, Genre, Fashion Keywords: Jupiter; Lightning; Eagle; Clouds; Mythology; Landscape; Village; Bridge; Watercourse; Smoke; Thunderstorm; Deity; Throne; Figurative decoration; Etching; Hatching; Celestial phenomenon; Architecture; 18th century; Classicism; Genre; France; Size: Paper: 19,7 cm x 13,1 cm (7,8 x 5,2 in), Depiction: 13,2 cm x 8,5 cm (5,2 x 3,3 in) Condition: Rather good condition. The paper is noticeably browned, with discolouration along the margins, scattered stains and small areas of fading at the margins; on the left, there are traces of former binding or stitching; the corners and margins are slightly bumped.