Monthly Archives: August 2012

Sea-monsters and spinning sows

Posted on August 25, 2012 by mercedes-c

Douce collected a remarkable number of woodcuts published by the Antwerp-based book-seller Joannes Norbertus Vinck. They are mostly popular prints, often coloured (a bit coarsely) in yellow and red. My favourite is this bespectacled spinning sow: Although the theme of … Continue reading →

Posted in Colour, Festivals, Popular prints, Prints, Woodcuts | Comments Off on Sea-monsters and spinning sows

Mid-August in Messina

Posted on August 15, 2012 by mercedes-c

Between 1782 and 1787, the French painter and printmaker Jean Hoüel (1735-1813) published a travel book entitled Le Voyage pittoresque des isles de Sicile, de Malte et de Lipari. Douce included one of the 264 plates that illustrated Hoüel’s work … Continue reading →

Posted in Aquatint, Festivals, Prints, Religion, Travel | Comments Off on Mid-August in Messina

Spanish rebus

Posted on August 7, 2012 by mercedes-c

Douce’s collection contains a remarkable amount of Spanish prints. Apart from works by well-known artists such as Goya and Ribera, it is possible to find many rare devotional images and popular prints produced in Spain between the sixteenth and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Popular prints, Prints, Rebus, Religion | Comments Off on Spanish rebus