Lot 7: Israhel van Meckenem

Israhel van Meckenem
Saint John the Evangelist (not in Geisberg, Lehrs, Hollstein)
engraving with handcolouring, circa 1470, without watermark, an unrecorded, probably unique print, a fairly strong impression, printing with vertical wiping marks and traces of tone, with contemporary handcolouring in green, brown and traces of yellow and red, with wide margins, generally in very good condition
P. 120 x 75 mm., S. 163 x 103 mm.

Unlike the other two Apostles, this Saint John is not based on the Master E.S.'s Christ enthroned surrounded by the Twelve Apostles (L. 137), but seems quite closely related to the figure of that saint in a different print by the Master E.S., that of Saint James Major and Saint John the Evangelist (L. 95), standing under a gothic arch.