Johannes and Lucas van DOETECUM: Imaginary view of a street with the house Aux Quatre Vents - 1560

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Etching and engraving after Hans Vredeman de Vries, 210 x 257 mm. New Hollstein (Van Doetecum) 163, 1st state/2.

Printed in 1st state (of 2), before Hieronymus Cock's motto was replaced by Theodoor Galle's address.

Very fine impression printed on watermarked laid paper (Gothic P surmounted by a flower). Slight stain in the sky, rare marginal foxing, small remains of paper tapes on back. Wide margins (sheet: 260 x 330 mm).

The Imaginary view of a street with the house Aux Quatre Vents is the first plate in a series of twenty perspective views drawn by Hans Vredeman de Vries and etched by the brothers Johannes and Lucas van Doetecum: Scenographiae sive perspectivae ut Aedificia, hoc modo ad opticam excitata. Pictorum vulgus vocat pulcherrimae viginti selectissimarum fabricarum. This series, also known as the Big architectural perspective book, was first published by Hieronymus Cock. It "evokes a new world of modern interiors and buildings presented in a wide variety of settings and spaces." (Peter Fuhring, Hieronymus Cock, p. 196)

The first plate in the series depicts an imaginary view of Hieronymus Cock's famous publishing house. Jan van der Stock describes it as follows: "On this plate [...] Cock proudly poses in the doorway of his house Aux Quatre Vents, identified by the sign and its putti heads blowing in the four directions and surmounted by the inscription IIII vents. In the store, we see Cock's wife, Volcxken Diericx, at her counter, in front of shelves overflowing with bundles of prints. Through the open door on the right, we see [...] a monumental representation of the Erection of the Bronze Serpent. […] The richly ornamented architecture is the fruit of Hans Vredeman de Vries's imagination, but is also partly based on reality". (Hieronymus Cock, p. 76, translated by us) The publishing couple had in fact initially chosen "the Nieuwe Beurs, the new commercial heart of the city [of Antwerp]. It was here, on the northern corner of Sint-Kathelijnevest - then still called Cattestraat - and Lange Nieuwstraat, that the publishing house Aux Quatre Vents set up shop. Prints were printed there from November 20, 1556, and certainly until October 24, 1565." (Hieronymus Cock, p. 17, translated by us).

Hieronymus Cock's motto "Laet de Cock coken om tvolckx Wille ('Let the cook cook to the people's liking'), depicted here at the bottom [...] refers to the diversity of his publications, aimed at a wide range of audiences, but also - with a touch of self-mockery - to the central role of his wife Volcxken ('tvolck' meaning 'the people'. )" (Hieronymus Cock, p. 17, translated by us).

References: Hieronymus Cock, La gravure à la Renaissance, 2013.