[Israel] Antonio TEMPESTA (1555-1630), Victory of the Hebrews over the Malechites, 1609.

copperplate, paper, 51 x 79.5 cm; signed and dated on the saddle of the horse: "Antoni Temp.F.A.M. MDCVIIII" and p.d.: "Nic.Va. Aelst"

state of preservation: traces of bending, the margins on the back were reinforced with paper in the 18th century and four edge tears were glued, two losses of the lower edges including one with a loss of 8 letters at the bottom of the graphic - completed in the epoch together with the text. Ink stamp of Johann Balthasar Bullinger (1713-1793), painter, printmaker, prof. of the Zurich Academy.

One of the oldest (and perhaps the first ?) large-format prints depicting the victory of the Hebrews' arms , created by artists of the 16th century.There are still small prints in books. This work, due to its large format, was engraved on two plates, reflected separately and glued in the publisher. The author, A.Tempesta, had created the graphic "Victory of the Polish Armed Forces at the Battle of Kircholm" three years earlier at the behest of King Sigismund III Vasa. The plate was engraved by 83-year-old Nicolaus van Aelst (1526-1613).

Only more than 20 pieces are known to exist in public collections worldwide. The engraving is held by the British Museum and universities at: Harvard, Yale, Ontario and the famous Rijskmuseum in Amsterdam. They are all without margins and some are damaged with drawing loss. The Bassenge Gallery of Berlin (which specializes in prints) has had only 1 ex. for the past 30 years. (2014- 2750 Eu, also without margins.) Great rarity!