Antique Print of a Tarantula and Dancing Figures by Middleton c.1780

€ 200

Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)

Date: 1780
Technique: Engraved
Sheet size: 33 × 18 cm (13.0 × 7.1 in)
Condition: Fair
Reference: BG-12678-106

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

Age-related toning. Shows some wear/creasing and soiling, blank verso. Please review the images for further condition details.

About this sheet

Antique print titled 'The tarantula, with the method of curing those stung by it, which is effected by music and dancing'. Antique print of the wolf spider or tarantula at top, while the scene below depicts two women dancing to the music of two male fiddlers, observed by a seated woman. The rustic setting includes a cottage with clothes drying on a line, and sheep grazing in a pasture. This print illustrates the belief that the dire effects of the bite of the tarantula, called tarantism, could be counteracted by frenzied dancing. The Italian dance called the tarantella became identified with such curative dancing, a link that has been ascribed to the similarity of the words.

Engraved for Middleton's 'Complete System of Geography', published circa 1780.