5147 - Meckenem, Israhel van

Meckenem, Israhel van The Unequal Couple. Copperplate engraving. 15.9 x 10.8 cm. Before 1497. B. 171, Lehrs IX, pp. 391, 502, Hollstein 502. This illustration is part of a series of twelve sheets depicting scenes on the theme of love and marriage, commonly known by the somewhat misleading title *Everyday Life*. The artistic intent lies less in the depiction of real-life situations than in the allegorical and moralizing significance of the scenes. The first six sheets were created earlier and depict couples surrounded by banners against a neutral background. They must have been published before 1497, since a book illustration appeared in Salamanca in January of that year that partially copies the motif presented here. Excellent, even printing; the border is present at the bottom; the lower half of the sheet, on both the right and left sides, largely retains the full image, while the upper half shows irregular loss of detail up to 4 mm. Slightly yellowed; a small brown spot at the bottom of the woman’s skirt; the missing areas along the edges have been expertly repaired and retouched, with the image slightly extended at the top and on the right. Repaired losses in the upper half of the sheet; in these areas, the added paper is slightly discolored to a light brown—for example, on the man’s cheek and the head covering above it, as well as his elbow; furthermore, in the woman’s veil and in the upper right corner, where the banner overlaps; these areas feature supplementary pen retouching, additional subtly applied pen drawings, and minor repairs, including a small, closed tear at the bottom edge; the paper is partially thin and fully backed; nevertheless, a good copy overall. Rare. - Please ask for condition reports for individual lots, as the condition is usually not mentioned in the catalog. - Please ask for condition reports for individual lots, as the condition is usually not mentioned in the catalog.