Live Auction 10404Old Master Prints
Jan Harmensz. Muller (1571-1628) after Adriaen de Vries (1556-1626)
Lot 138

Jan Harmensz. Muller (1571-1628) after Adriaen de Vries (1556-1626)

Hercules slaying the Hydra

Closed9 December 2015

Price Realised

GBP 10,625

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Jan Harmensz. Muller (1571-1628) after Adriaen de Vries (1556-1626)
Hercules slaying the Hydra
engraving, circa 1602, on laid paper, watermark Large Coat-of-Arms and a Letters countermark, a fine, early impression of the second state (of four), published by Dancker Danckerts, Amsterdam, with narrow margins, a horizontal central fold, a rustmark a centre left, a wormhole in the pedestal, generally in good condition


P. 511 x 364 mm., S. 515 x 367 mm.

R. Johannes Meyer (1882-1967), Hamburg; then by descent to the present owner.

Specialist note

This rare and important print by Jan Harmensz. Muller depicts the central figure group of the Hercules Fountain in Augsburg, sculpted by Adriaen de Vries between 1597-1600 and erected on the square of the Weinmarkt in 1602. For a print relating to another of the three fountains of Augsburg, created by two of the greatest sculptors of their age, Hubert Gerhard and Adriaen de Vries, see the previous lot. The three monumental fountains, depicting Augustus, Mercury and Hercules, respectively, represented the three estates of the Imperial city: the nobility, the merchants and the craftsmen.