142 - Johannes Wierix - Death and Chronos in a Ruined World

Johannes Wierix - Death and Chronos in a Ruined World Description: Last plate of a series of six prints representing the phases of life of man combined with architectural orders. A first state on two, before the retouching's and before the erasing of the address of the publisher Pieter Baltens on the column base at left. Here the ruins are combined with the age of over 80 years until death; a field full of ruins and spolia; at center, a man, asleep on a chair inside a niche; with Saturn seated on top of it; the skeleton of death standing by the man asleep, holding a sickle, to right; an hourglass next to it; behind, a building on fire and man escaping from it. The print is signed with the initials IHW at the feet of the central figure. Alvin suggests only the figures are engraved by Wierix, hence why the British museum mentions Pieter Baltens as the engraver (1526-1584). Dimensions: 21,10 x 27,30 cm Condition: Good condition, flattened middle fold; In a full sheet of laid paper with some closed tears in the wide bottom margin, not affecting the image. Literature: Mauquoy-Hendrickx 1979 / Les Estampes des Wierix ... catalogue raisonné (1505.I / II)---- Hollstein / Dutch and Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts c.1450-1700 (441.I / II) Medium: Engraving Date: 1560-1584