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Wallerant Vaillant (Dutch, 1623-1677) after Erasmus Quellinus II (Flemish, 1607-1678). “Venus Mourning the Dead Adonis” mezzotint, second or third (final) state, undated (ca. 1665). “W. Vaillant fecit.” at lower right. “E. Quellinus pinxit” at lower center. A stunning mezzotint by Wallerant Vaillant after his mentor Erasmus Quellinus II depicting Adonis dying in the arms of Venus. Overwhelmed with sorrow, the goddess of love holds her lover, as her silky garments billow around them and the swans who drew her chariot cry in the background. Meanwhile, the wild boar who killed Adonis during a hunting accident lies in the foreground, and Cupid expresses his grief to the left. A beautiful, rare mezzotint mounted beneath glass in a custom frame. Size (sight view): 14.5″ L x 11.5″ W (36.8 cm x 29.2 cm) Size (frame): 20.625″ L x 17.625″ W (52.4 cm x 44.8 cm)
Venus had had a dream that Adonis would be the victim of a hunting accident. She warned Adonis, but unfortunately, he ignored her warning. Then, Venus rode her swan driven chariot to Adonis, only to find him in this suffering state. While out hunting, Adonis’s dogs had excited a wild boar who ended his life.
Wallerant Vaillant studied with Erasmus Quellinus II in Antwerp. In addition, Prince Rupert of the Rhine was his tutor in etching techniques. In 1664, Vaillant settled in Amsterdam following a five year stay in Paris with Philibert de Gramant and became the court painter of John William Friso, Prince of Orange.
Wallerant Vaillant’s art may be found in permanent collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art; the National Portrait Gallery of London; the Victoria and Albert Museum; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest; the Harvard Art Museums; the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest; the Kruizenga Art Museum; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; and the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen.
Condition: “W. Vaillant fecit.” at lower right. “E. Quellinus pinxit” at lower center. Mounted behind glass in custom mat and frame. Mezzotint not examined outside frame. According to Royal Athena labels on verso, “A fairly good impression with small narrow margins” as well as “A very small hole at the left edge, another upper left, some unobtrusive creasing, old soiling on the reverse.” Frame presents with a few scuffs/nicks, old gallery paper with some tears on verso, and old suspension wire that we would recommend replacing.
Provenance: ex-Royal Athena Galleries, New York City, New York, USA; ex-Christie’s London, April 1991
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