622 - R. VINKELES (1741–1816), Belphegor in Front of the Farmhouse, 1781, Etching

R. VINKELES (1741–1816), Belphegor in Front of the Farmhouse, 1781, Etching Reinier Vinkeles (1741 Amsterdam – 1816 ibid.): Belphegor in front of the farmhouse: A fable about Belphegor featuring two men in front of a country house, 1781, etching Technique: Etching on paper Print Quality: An absolutely superb, harmonious print with crisp lines and nuanced shades of gray. Inscription: Signed in the printing plate at the lower left: “Vinkeles, del. et sculp.” At the bottom of the printing plate: “BELPHEGOR. Fable CCXLIV. 3.e Planche.” Date: 1781 Description: A print depicts two male figures in contemporary clothing in front of a rural building. On the left, a man is walking toward the viewer with a stick or tool, holding his hat in his lowered hand; on the right, another man is sitting on the ground, holding out a flat vessel. The house, with its steep roof and chimney, fills the right half of the picture, while on the left, trees and sky open up. Delicate parallel hatching adds texture to the clouds, walls, and ground; denser cross-hatching darkens the roof and the foreground. The viewer’s gaze is drawn between the figures and the vessel. The scene has a narrative quality and appears to illustrate a literary or fable-like plot. Source: Jean de la Fontaine (1621–1695) *Fables choisies*, 1802 | Book, Mythology, Genre, Fashion Keywords: Printed art; Book illustration; Fable; Belphegor; two men; farmhouse; rural scene; hut; group of trees; sky; chimney; hat; vessel; stick; narrative scene; hatching; margins; cartouche; French title; 18th century; 18th century; Classicism; Genre; France; Size: Paper: 19.6 cm x 13.3 cm (7.7 x 5.2 in), Illustration: 12.7 cm x 8.2 cm (5 x 3.2 in) Condition: Good condition. Overall, in good condition for its age and well preserved. Puncture marks from an old binding are visible on the side of the page edge. The corners of the sheets are slightly bumped. There is some browning along the edges. A few faint mold stains are visible. The page edge is slightly dusty.