Johannes Teyler (1648-c. 1709), printer Views... Lot 47

Johannes Teyler (1648-c. 1709), printer Views of buildings in Amsterdam: City Hall and facades of houses on the canal, built in 1670-1690. Etching. Printed in color (color variants reproduced at New Hollstein). Very fine proofs on cream laid paper. Minimal foxing or soiling. Good margins (N. H. 137 without lateral margin). Very rare. Set of 16 p. Detail of plates: - Amsterdam, façade of the City Hall. [222x285]. New Hollstein 128. - Amsterdam, north facade of City Hall. [225x285]. New Hollstein 129. - Amsterdam, north facade of City Hall. Proof. [223x285]. New Hollstein 129. - Amsterdam, rear façade of City Hall. [223x283]. New Hollstein 130. - Amsterdam, Herengracht 502 (right) and Keizersgracht 604 (left). [225x285]. New Hollstein 132. - Amsterdam, Herengracht 478-474. [225x285]. New Hollstein 134. - Amsterdam, Herengracht 412 and 472 [225x285]. New Hollstein 135. - Amsterdam, Herengracht 466, 386(?) and 533-535. [225x285]. New Hollstein 137. - Amsterdam, Herengracht 462-458. [225x285]. New Hollstein 138. - Amsterdam, Herengracht 444-448. [225x285]. New Hollstein 140. - Amsterdam, Keizersgracht 738-730 [225x285]. New Hollstein 142. - Amsterdam, Keizersgracht 674-672. [225x285]. New Hollstein 143. - Amsterdam, Keizersgracht 526-518. [225x285]. New Hollstein 144. - Amsterdam, Keizersgracht 452 (left) and 480-476 (right). [223x283]. New Hollstein 145. - Amsterdam, Kloveniersburgwal 29. [200x282]. New Hollstein 146. - Amsterdam, Amstel 216 [200x280]. New Hollstein 147. A pioneer of colored etching in Holland, Teyler developed his process a few decades after Abraham Bosse and Charles de La Fontaine had obtained, in 1637, the king's privilege to print in color in France. Towards the middle of the 17th century, in various places and in an uncoordinated way, trials of intaglio printing with tinting began. Where Bosse engraved two plates, one for each color, with a register system, Teyler seems to have been the inventor of "à la poupée" color inking on a single plate. "[His prints] are quite remarkable, both for their subject matter and for their quality,the latter, thanks to the freshness of the colors and the precision of their application, being like a signature." (F. Rodari, ed., Anatomie de la couleur, Paris, BnF and Lausanne, Olympic Museum, 1996, p. 30). "Born in Nijmegen in 1648, after studying mathematics and philosophy, Teyler first taught these disciplines in his native city. In 1673, following the occupation of Nijmegen by the French army, he left for Berlin, where he became a military engineer in the service of Duke Frederick William of Brandenburg, before travelling to Italy and the Levant in the company of the draughtsman and engraver Jan van Call, between 1679 and 1683. On his return to the United Provinces, he decided, probably in collaboration with Jan van Call, to set up a workshop for printing color prints on paper or fabric. This workshop operated first in Nijmegen, then in Amsterdam, and finally in Ryswick, from 1685 to 1697. On February 20, 1688, Teyler obtained a privilege for his color printing technique, which provides valuable information on his activities. Among other things, the privilege states that "[Teyler] has invented a new method of representing on paper, parchment, silk or other fabric, in the form of maps, books, cloths and the like, all kinds of figures, ornaments and, for certain armies, encampments..." The privilege mentions that the images will be printed in color. This text shows that Teyler's main activity was the production of printed fabrics, as well as "miniatures". [...] The prints produced by the workshop are copper engravings, printed in color by inking the plate "à la poupée". This technique consists of applying different colored inks, using a small cloth rolled into a ball (the "poupée"), to a single engraved copper matrix: when printed, in a single run, the different areas of the image are inked in different colors. This process requires extreme meticulousness when inking the plate, to ensure that the colors do not mix during printing. This technique was used, albeit rarely, from the very beginnings of printmaking in the 15th century. But it was under Teyler's direction that it reached a new technical quality: the care given to the impressions, the number (up to 10), the subtlety and brilliance of the colors used make his prints exceptional pieces." (blog.bibliotheque.inha.fr) "Teyler has long been seen as engraver or publishe