Hogarth, William (1697 London 1764). Columbus breaking the Egg. Columbus’ answer to the blasphemers of his performance. Engraving by Thomas Cook (c. 1744 – London 1818). Inscribed: Engraved by T. Cook., title as before and rest of the address Paternoster Row August 1^st. 1800. 15.8 x 19.2 cm.

The 1752 subscription ticket for “Analysis of Beauty” whose essence, the sinuous line, is symbolized by the two eels with eggs in the oval form of the plate in front. According to Peter Bexte, William Hogarth – Analyse der Schönheit, 1995, Hogarth used this scene together for a parody on Leonardo’s ‘Lord’s Supper’:

“ Christ (is) replaced by Columbus, and the astonished disciples became scholars taken unaware ”.

Columbus’ turn to the right as seen from the onlooker follows Hogarth’s own etching which might be, as repeatedly, in reverse to its model. – Cook “made a name as Hogarth engraver for himself, too” (Thieme-Becker). – Two sides trimmed within the white platemark with only a fine margin at top.
Offer no. 7,550 / EUR  95. (c. US$ 139.) + shipping

– – – The same as Hogarth’s own etching in the state of 1753 in an impression from the plate reworked by the royal engraver James Heath (1757 London 1834) about 1822 (“Even these impressions became relatively rare today though”, Art Gallery Esslingen 1970; and Meyers Konv.-Lex., 4^th ed., VIII [1888], 625: “A fine edition”). Inscribed: Design’d & Etch’d by Wm. Hogarth Decem 1. 1753. 16.5 x 19.5 cm. – On Columbus’ bearing see before.

Illustrations Hogarth Catalogue Zurich, 1983, 78 + Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Jan. 23, 1996 (Friedmar Apel, Verfolgung einer Schlangenlinie). – On buff paper. – Wide-margined.
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– – – The same in Cook’s smaller repetition. Inscribed: Hogarth pinxt. / T. Cook sculpt. / Published by Longman, Hurst, Rees, & Orme, Nov. 1^st. 1807., title as before. Image size 14.1 x 17 cm. – Columbus’ bearing as before. – Trimmed within the wide white platemark. In this some small spots.
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– – – The same in engraving by Carl Heinrich Rahl (Hoffenheim 1779 – Vienna 1843). (1818/23.) 18.9 x 20 cm. – Columbus’ bearing as seen from the onlooker now to the right as on the following sheets, too, while Riepenhausen is known to have corrected Hogarth’s reversed engravings. – Upper right plate no. 49.
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– – – The same in engraving by Ernst Ludwig Riepenhausen (1765 Göttingen 1840, university engraver there). Inscribed: 49 / W. Hogarth inv. 18.3 x 23 cm. – Early, toned impression. – Wide-margined.
Offer no. 7,757 / EUR  71. (c. US$ 104.) + shipping

– – – The same by Riepenhausen as before, but on slightly toned minor paper. – A few foxspots and light box pleat in the white lower margin.
Offer no. 9,516 / EUR  59. (c. US$ 86.) + shipping

– – – The same by Riepenhausen as before, but in an impression about 1850 on especially buff paper.
Offer no. 14,088 / EUR  64. (c. US$ 93.) + shipping

– – – The same in lithograph by C. F. Heintz. (1833/36.) Inscribed: 53. / Columbus stellt ein Ey auf die Spitze. / Lith. v. C. F. Heintz . 21.8 x 17.8 cm. – Extensive subtext in German: Columbus puts an egg on its top.
Offer no. 14,089 / EUR  59. (c. US$ 86.) + shipping

– – – The same in steel engraving about 1840. 13.5 x 18 cm. – With title in German + English.
Offer no. 7,759 / EUR  29. (c. US$ 42.) + shipping

“ Yes please. I take that (further) copy.
I have now fetched the (last) parcel at the post office and I was very pleased. First of all: thank you for making so good parcel. I hate when I receive damaged copies because of bad envelopes. So once again: thank you very much for handling the items with such care! For me that is another word for seriousness and professionalism.
It was also a good copy and I liked it very much.
Please let me know if there is more items coming up ”

(Mrs. G. H., June 19, 2006)