652 - R. VINKELES (1741–1816), The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs, 1767, etching

R. VINKELES (1741–1816), The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs, 1767, etching Reinier Vinkeles (1741 Amsterdam – 1816 ibid.): The Hen That Laid the Golden Eggs (La Poule aux Œufs d'Or): A man with a hen in front of a dilapidated archway, 1767, etching Technique: Etching on paper Print Quality: An absolutely superb, harmonious print with crisp lines and well-balanced tones. Inscription: Signed in the printing plate at the lower left: “Vinkeles, del. et sculp.”; inscribed in the printing plate at the bottom: “LA POULE AUX ŒUFS D’OR. Fable XCV.". Date: 1767 Description: A man wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a kilt, knee-length trousers, and buckled shoes is kneeling on the right in front of a hen on a stone block. He is reaching for the bird and staring intently at its body. On the left, a tall round arch opens up in a ruined wall; behind it, a barrel-vaulted passageway leads into the depths. A second, bricked-up arch appears in the background. Delicate parallel hatching and a dense crisscross pattern render the masonry, shadows, and ground. Light streams in from the right, setting the figure and the hen against the darker archway. Narratively, the scene appears to depict a moment of greedy grasping within a fable-like representation. Source: Jean de la Fontaine (1621–1695) *Fables choisies*, 1802 | Book, Mythology, Genre, Fashion Keywords: Man; Hen; Fable; La Fontaine; Archway; Ruined architecture; Masonry; Passageway; Genre scene; Greed; Book illustration; Etching; Hatching; 18th century; French inscription; Kneeling figure; Courtyard scene; Depiction of an animal; 18th century; Classicism; Genre; France; Size: Paper: 19.6 cm x 12.4 cm (7.7 x 4.9 in), Image: 13.1 cm x 8.4 cm (5.2 x 3.3 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 show minimal wear. There is some browning along the edges. A few faint mold stains are visible.