JOAN
SADELER I
Brussels 1550 – 1600
after
FRIEDRICH SUSTRIS
Padua c1540 – 1599 Munich
Sadeler
worked in Munich between 1589 and 1595 as
court engraver to William V, Duke of Bavaria.
Sustris, over a longer period, was the Duke’s court architect, and had
trained in Italy under Vasari.
The
engraved ‘signature’ inscription, which proclaims the court status of
both artists, is an implied dedication to the Duke.
Educated by the Jesuits, William V was very religious and was known as William the Pious.
He gave much time each day to masses, devotional reading and contemplation.
An allegory of the love of Christ for the Church therefore would have appealed to him.
Manus
manum lavat – An Allegory of Love
Hollstein 491
240 x 314 (310) mm
Engraving.
A
good impression, on watermarked paper.
Trimmed
to, or just into, the image on three sides
and immediately below the lettering at the
foot. A few unobtrusive foxmarks, mainly
visible verso. A short supported nick at
the foot of the sheet.
Ex
collection: J.E. Wetterauer (Lugt 3870)
£850
The
Latin inscription at the foot of the engraving
extends the immediate symbolism of the image
beyond that of human love, to Christian devotion.
It references Ephesians, chapter 5, where Paul
commends husbands to love their wives and
wives to reverence their husbands, as Christ
himself loves the church and is reverenced
by it.
The
same image of Cupid pouring water over the
joined hands of a loving couple, encircled
with the motto Manus Manum Lavat (Hand washing
Hand), was used a little later, without the
additional religious significance, by Gabriel
Rollenhagen as plate 28 in his Emblem Book,
accompanied by his short poem in Latin in
praise of married bliss. The poem in George
Wither’s 17th century translation reads
A
paire, so match’d; like Hands that wash each
other,
As mutuall-helps, will sweetly live together.
As
such a suitable subject to ornament my Home
Page during the month of February, even though
St Valentine’s Day itself is now past.
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