37 - Heinrich Aldegrever - Hercules killing Cacus - 1550

Heinrich Aldegrever - Hercules killing Cacus - 1550 Description: Hercules killing Cacus; Hercules at left standing over Cacus and swinging his club; in right background Cacus stealing cattle. Engraving, signed with monogram and dated 1550 on a tablet at upper left. With the engraved text line:'Oppetit Herculeo Cacus reboante iuvenco Ad sua quem averso traxerat antra gradu'. This print is the third plate from the celebrated series of thirteen engravings, The Labors of Hercules, engraved by Aldegrever in 1550. An outstanding early impression of exceptional quality, with distinguished provenance. Formerly in the collection of Ambroise Firmin-Didot (Lugt 119), son of the renowned publisher Firmin Didot. Ambroise Firmin-Didot assembled one of the great nineteenth-century print collections, celebrated for both its richness and the quality of its impressions; the collection was dispersed in Paris in 1877. Subsequently in the collection of Juan Jorge Peoli (Lugt 2020), whose collection was auctioned in New York in 1894. Later acquired by Metropolitan Museum of Art (Lugt 1943). The sheet was eventually deaccessioned as a duplicate impression, as indicated by the “Metropolitan Duplicate” stamp (Lugt 1808h), a mark used from 1923 onward, and was finally acquired from Sotheby's by the present owner. Rare in this exceptionally fine and early impression, with superb provenance. Dimensions: 10,60 x 6,70 cm Condition: Outstanding, richly inked early impression with full plate border and traces of tread margins. In excellent condition. Literature: New Hollstein (German) / The New Hollstein: German engravings, etchings and woodcuts 1400-1700 (Aldegrever)(85) ----- Bartsch / Le Peintre graveur (VIII.391.85) Medium: Engraving Date: 1550