THE WINTER ACCORDING TO DAVID TENIERS "L'Hiver" engraving made around 1760 by Benedict Winkler, copy of a 1744 engraving by Andrew Lawrence, who in turn copied a painting by David Teniers d.J. "Winter Scene with a Man Slaughtering a Pig" from 1660-1670. Later hand-coloured. Dim.: 20.8 x 31.2 cm. An unusual depiction in the oeuvre of David Teniers (1610-1690), but a classic Flemish theme popularised in the 16th century by Pieter Brueghel (grandfather of Teniers' first wife), the slaughtering of the pig enlivens this otherwise cold peasant scene. The whole family gathers for the ritual of life and death: the man sharpens his knife and the woman holds a pan to catch the blood - nothing must go to waste. There is a lot of snow, a little further on boys are playing a kind of curling game, magpies fly over. The people have long walking sticks, also as a precaution to save themselves should they fall through the ice. Winter scenes have always been popular. The Old Masters loved to paint them and their popularity is reflected in the large numbers of prints made after their paintings and designs. Up to the 19th century engravers used old examples, also in France, Germany and England. Price: Euro 450,-
