Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

l'Hermitage [toy]

Accession number
PML 88513
Published
[Augsburg : Martin Engelbrecht, 17--].
Credit line
Gift of Julia P. Wightman, 1991.
Notes
Title from slip-case.
Library's copy without optical box.
Attributed to the firm of engraver and publisher, Martin Engelbrecht, Augsburg. He obtained an imperial privilege to publish peep-shows from 1719, thereby eliminating any competition from other publishing houses. Artists Jeremias Wachsmuth or David Nessenthaler may have collaborated on the illustrations. The peepshows were published in three formats: Large format, ca. 15.5 x 20.8 cm ; medium format, ca. 9.2 x 14.3 cm ; and small format, ca. 7.3 x 9.0 cm. The large and medium formats were published with a title page, while no title pages are known to have been printed for the small format. Also, the small format cards do not have any serial numbers, possibly due to cropping of the margins.
This peepshow is in the large format. It contains five etchings, recently mounted in accordion form at top and bottom; all of the views are hand-colored and have been cut out, except for the fifth which forms the backdrop. The upper margins are numbered 132-136 (the proscenium, no. 131, is lacking) The prints are without any text, title page, or serial number, and no impressum is extant in the lower margin.
The prints depict a hermitage. The cut-out prints show a wooded landscape with four figures dressed in robes, wandering, reading, digging in the soil, and praying in a hermit's hut. The backdrop shows four rows of trees.
On the back of the three middle prints is written: "herm" and "hermit?" (illegible) in black ink.
Library's copy: panels joined with modern paper hinges.
Description
1 peepshow (5 prints) : etchings, handcol. ; closed: 16.6 x 20.3 x 0.9 cm; expanding to: 38 cm
Provenance
From the library of Julia P. Wightman.
Binding
Marbled paper slip-case with title written in black ink on label, attached to the front.
Classification
Department