Rare Engraving of Mount Sinai with St. Catherine's Monastery and Bedouins, 1680
€ 494
Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)
Date
1680
Sheet size
32.3 × 37 cm (12.7 × 14.6 in)
Condition
Good
Reference
BGI-00492
What the condition grades mean
Excellent
Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good
Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good
Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair
Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
Condition
Some light staining in the upper part of the print and a small brownish spot on the lower right.
About this sheet
Rare antique print titled ‘Bergh Sinai of Sint Catryn’.
This engraving shows Mount Sinai (also known as Mount Horeb) with St. Catherine's Monastery at the foot of the mountains and Bedouin encampments surrounding it. Engraved by Karl Decker.
Artists and Engravers: Arnold Montanus, actually Arnold van den Berghe (1625-1683) was a Dutch theologian, historian, author and publisher. His father Peter Montanus was related to the Hondius family. He worked as teacher for ancient languages and was involved in the publication of some geographical books and atlases with Jodocus and Heinrich Hondius. Arnold Montanus was rector of a Latin school in Schoonhoven, but was also active as theologian and philosopher publishing several writings. He also developed a passion for travelogues on faraway and foreign countries. Thus, besides works on clerical history and theology he soon wrote treatises on peoples and culture of the New World as well as Dutch overseas history especially in Japan. As he himself never left Europe, he was dependent on the assistance of others. So he bought travelogues and information from seafarers and members of the Dutch East India Company. Montanus' travel books were richly illustrated by fine engravings, for beauty and wealth often compared to those of de Bry. The images did not only depict geographical details but also ethnographic, natural scientific or religious peculiarities of the respective region.The maps are decorated by beautiful figural cartouches, the views are captivating by their vivid ornamentation with ships and local people.
Condition: Good. General age-related toning and some light staining. Please study image carefully.
