Albrecht Dürer St. Eustatius (also known as St.... Lot 25

Albrecht Dürer St. Eustatius (also known as St. Hubert), 1501, burin, margin fillet just after the composition, 35 x 25.6 cm (Bartsch 57, Meder 60 e/k, Strauss 34), very fine proof, watermark: Bear (M. Wz 87). This plate is one of the so-called "major" engravings of the early 1500s, held in high esteem by the artist himself because of their size and art: the Saint Eustachian is the largest burin engraved by Dürer, roughly equal in size to the woodcuts of the Apocalypse. In contrast to the inherently linear technique of the burin, Dürer here attempts to rival the richness of tones and textures of the painting. It is known that, during his trip to Antwerp in 1520, Dürer was in the habit of giving away or selling proofs of his Eustachium, and that he therefore regularly made prints of this plate. At Salon Meder, the Bear watermark is typical of the beautiful proofs printed between 1525 and 1540, towards the end of Dürer's life or immediately after his death.