Master Prints from a Norwegian Private Collection
A rich diversity of images from myth, history, religion and the natural world constitute the 200+ prints in this remarkable single-owner sale formed by a Norwegian private collector. The prints were acquired over many decades from the world’s leading dealers and auction rooms, and reflect the collector’s passion for five hundred years of European printmaking.
With nearly every major school represented, the sale features particularly fine groups of works by Albrecht Altdorfer, Jacques Callot, Wenceslaus Hollar, Eugène Delacroix, Walter Sickert and Ferdinand Staeger. A variety of media are represented, with excellent examples of more unusual techniques including chiaroscuro woodcut, crayon-manner etching, coloured mezzotint, and even gypsographie.
Many of the prints were acquired in excellent condition and have remained well preserved, protected from light and climatic changes. Provenance is another highlight of the sale, with previous collections including those of Joshua Reynolds, Sir Edward Astley, Hans von Aufsess, the Albertina and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Estimates range from £50 to £2000 thus offering a rare opportunity for seasoned collectors and new enthusiasts alike to acquire a true ‘piece of history’ by some of the most innovative and imaginative artists of the printed image.
