Dessins des meilleurs Peintres d'Italie, d'Allemagne et des Pay-Bas Tirés de divers célebres Cabinets (Drawings by the Best Painters of Italy, Germany and the Netherlands, Taken from Various Famous Cabinets)

1782-1785

Johann Gottlieb Prestel, Maria Catharina Prestel, and Regina Schönecker (printmakers); Johann Georg Sturm (calligrapher); Heinrich Sebastian Hüsgen (publisher)

Associated Names
Johann Gottlieb Prestel

Artist, German, 1739 - 1808

Maria Catharina Prestel

Artist, German, 1747 - 1794

Regina Schönecker

Artist, German, c. 1762 - c. 1818

Johann Georg Sturm

Calligrapher, German, 1742 - 1793

Heinrich Sebastian Hüsgen

Publisher, German, 1745 - 1807

This is a photograph of a title page. The image displays elegant, ornate text printed in black on slightly aged, cream-colored paper. The title at the top reads "DESSINS" in large, decorative letters, followed by a smaller, script-style description that mentions the best painters from Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands, with works taken from various famous collections. The text further details that these images were engraved after the originals at the same size by Jean Théophile Prestel, listed as a painter and a member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Düsseldorf. The overall presentation suggests a historical and classical aesthetic typical of printed works from an earlier period.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    portfolio with thirty-six etching and engravings (many with aquatint and/or soft-ground etching) printed in colors, plus engraved title page

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet: 48.8 × 33.5 cm (19 3/16 × 13 3/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1948.11.259-294

Associated Artworks

See all 36 artworks
This is a drawing of three armored figures holding spears. The scene shows detailed figures in medieval armor with spears. The central figure appears animated, perhaps gesturing or speaking. Each figure is intricately detailed, revealing their armor and expressions. The background is minimal, with light lines hinting at a landscape.

Three Lansquenets

Maria Catharina Prestel

1780

The image shows a portrait sketch of an individual with pronounced facial features, including prominent cheekbones, a strong nose, and full lips. The person's hair is voluminous with soft curls, and they are wearing a high-collared garment. The sketch is set against a plain background with a simple border and no visible jewelry or objects. The larger paper surrounding the portrait has a light-colored, textured surface with slight discolorations.

Head of a Man

Johann Gottlieb Prestel

1782

This is a drawing of a group of figures engaged in an activity in a classical setting. The scene is set within a formal interior space defined by architectural elements such as a column and a draped curtain. The composition features figures dressed in historical attire, with one seated figure elevated. The gathered figures are depicted in dynamic poses, and one seems to be attending to an overturned pot or urn on the ground. The gestures and diagonals formed by the figures and their garments lead the viewer's eye around the scene. The use of line and shading in the drawing adds depth and drama to the scene, creating a contrast between the figures and their environment.

Roman Sacrifice

Maria Catharina Prestel

1780

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Walter Schatzki, New York); Lessing Julius Rosenwald, Philadelphia, PA, purchased 1947; gift to NGA, 1948.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

recto: in plate: DESSINS / des meilleurs Peintres d'Italie, d'Allemagne et des Pay-Bas Tirés de divers célebres Cabinets / Gravés d'après les Originaux / de même grandeur / par Jean Théophile Prestel / Peintre / et Membre de l'Académie des Beaux-Arts / de Düsseldorf. / J.G. Sturm Sc. / 1782; verso: pasted sheet with engraved text: Comme je suis le seul propriétaire / du present Cabinet du Sr Prestel / contenant les 36 feuilles suivantes, j'ai / trouvé necessaire d'en avertir le public, / et de prier tous les amateurs de vouloir / bien s'addresser à moi H. S. Hüsgen / à Francfort sur le Mayn, en garan- / tissent des belles épreuves et l'execution / exacte de leurs ordres à un prix / modique

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