135 - Crispijn de Passe the Elder (1564–1637) – Genius – The Four Emblems

Crispijn de Passe the Elder (1564–1637) – Genius – The Four Emblems Description: Genius, first plate from a series of four allegorical emblems, designed, engraved and published by Crispijn de Passe the Elder in Cologne. A winged putto personifying Genius stands in a landscape, holding ears of corn in one hand and a bunch of grapes in the other. At his feet are a vessel and further fruits of the earth. In classical tradition, the Genius was the protective and life-giving spirit associated with an individual and, more broadly, with innate, vital and generative power. The corn, grapes and abundance of fruit emphasize fertility, prosperity and the natural gifts bestowed upon man. Within the context of the Four Emblems, however, these gifts also introduce the moral theme developed throughout the series: man is endowed with natural abilities and the pleasures of life, but must use them wisely and resist the temptations that may lead him astray. The subsequent emblems explore the senses, human desires and their ultimate consequences, turning the series into a moral warning against excess and the misuse of man's natural gifts. Four lines of Latin verse in the lower margin accompany the allegory, beginning “Quis tu laete puer? GENIVS...”. Lettered “Crispin de passe in. excudit Coloniae” and numbered “1” within the image. Dimensions: 16,90 x 11,80 cm Condition: Excellent impression on laid paper from the period, with the full plate border, with wide margins, watermarked. Moderate time staining in the wide margins, verso clean. Overall in good condition. Literature: Hollstein / Dutch and Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts c.1450-1700 (639.II) (Crispijn de Passe I)(639.II) ----- Franken 1881 / L'oeuvre gravé des van de Passe (1249) Medium: Engraving Date: 1590-1620