24_Your_Comments_2012_2nd_half

In 1594 the writer, cartographer and engraver Matthias Quad finished his Europae, totius orbis terrarum...., and had it published by his friend J.Bussemecher in Cologne. Matthias Quad was born in Deventer , The Netherlands in 1557 and died in Germany in Eppingen in 1613. Most of his life he worked in Cologne i.e. Köln. His Europa atlas and illustration shows on  the low-end of the title page Europe, nicely and decently dressed, sitting dignified on bull Zeus.

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On the second page, also from his hand a page size picture of a well-formed, enthousiastic, German-like Europe, rather scarcely clad and with a laurel-wreath on her head. The Middle Ages on the left, Renaissance style on the right.

A well known book on architecture from Andrea Palladio from 1570 in four tomes was published in Venice by Domenico de' Franceschi. It treated the various classical Renaissance building and ornament styles of that period in Europe. Each part had the same title-page which features in the middle the historic version of the Europe myth. She is being carried away on a ship by king Asterios of Crete, while the ship's bow shows a humanlike head with two horns; a bull or the devil?

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Europe, this time, about naked, but the whole scenery does not seem to imply a forced outing. The woodcuts in the book are attributed to Giovanni and Cristoforo  Chrieger, and Cristoforo Coriolano.

July 1, 2012, Brussels,   Auction Romantic Agony, 15/16 june 2012

During a British auction a porcelain plate showed up with the Europe scene typically in rococo style, reminiscent of Boucher cum suis. The plate is not from that period, probably end 19th century. The decorated painting is not of a convincing quality

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The bull's head is difficult to distinguish, but by focussing on it, he becomes visible. No signs of the porcelain factory.

An antiquedealer in Brussels had a copy of a 18th century mantle clock (24_08) on offer. The same mantle clock (24_07)appears in my study on page 149. The case is attributed to J.J. de St. Germain .

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 The photo's are not taken exactly from the same angle, so the two cases do not appear completely identical, but at close range they surely are. Well, obviously they made several copies. But the dial plate indicate on 24_07 Jolly, Paris. Apparently, the  clockmaker François Antoine Jolly, who became master clockmaker in 1747.

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On the 24_08 dial plate  the clockmaker's name is Charles du Tertre à Paris. He became maître horloger in 1758 and died in 1784. It is difficult to conclude from this, who was the first to use the bronze case of Saint Germain.

August 2, web master

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The Dutch faience and tile factory Westraven in Utrecht, 1844-1994, continued its artistic handpainted walltiles production till the factory was absorbed by the Dutch factory 'De Porceleynen Fles'. Many artists designed for its production. Ada van Broek, 1913-2002, from the Kunstacademy of the Hague painted in 1930 a modern style Europe and the bull, jumping into giant waves.

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After her marriage she became known as Ada Haersma Buma van den Broek. As shown, the tableau comprises six tiles, totalling, 214 - 316 - 25 mm. The tableau can be seen in 'het Nederlands TegelMuseum' in Otterloo.

September 1 Otterloo, Netherlands

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Probably the first translation of the complete works of Lucian from Greek into French is the traduction of Filbert Bretin Ausonnois in 1582 under the title "Lucianus Samosatensis, Les oeuvres philosophe, published by Abel l'Angelier, Paris. It includes half a dozen prints, among which the sea-journey with bull Zeus to Crete. The engraving follows almost completely the description of one of his Dioloques of the gods on Europe's crossing to Crete. Although the left corner appears to show some letters, I have not been able to come up with a name for the designer/engraver. Abel l'Anglier did not have special relations with designers. It does not seem possible to link the design to one of the many illustrations for Ovid's Metamorphoses

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A modest Europe sitting relaxed on the bull with almost a human expression amidst  a loud and merry company of Aphrodite on the shell with two tritons; Poseidon on the left (here his wife Amphitrite is lacking),dolphins and other seaanimals. A very lively scenery. On top the four gods of the winds

Brussels, 4 October, 2012 

Of  Dutch ceramics, Frisian ware were only second to Delfts blue. From the end of the 16th century several companies in different Frisian towns specialized in bricks, tiles, pottery and other utensils. The oldest and still working is the family company Tichelaar in Makkum, starting in 1594. It has been managed by 13 consecutive generations. In 1892 a tableau with the Europa myth was installed as a chimney piece in a 17th century house, owned by the Tichelaar family, at Turfmarkt 29, Makkum. It had been painted about 1760, by Dirk Jacobs Danser, 1698-1763, Of the 48 tiles 9 on the upper left corner  had to be redone. The tableau is still there.

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The frame is rather voluptuous, common for the 18th century rococo style. Basically, the scene reflects the engraving of Jean Lepautre.

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In 'Your Comments, 2ndhalf 2010, a photo (no 2004) of Europe in Odessa, Ukraine  is shown. We asked for more information and here it is:

The Europe Monument of Odessa was made in honour of the 200 years jubilee of the town. Catherina the Great by decree named in 1794 the conquered city on the Turks, Odessa.
Odessa is derived from Homer's Odyssey. The statue has been placed in a surrounding suggesting an ancient Greek ruin.  As you can see on page '....2nd half 2010' it is quite an imposing statue. Here is a photo from another angle

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The Monument is from the architect  V.N.Chepelev and the sculptor A.P. Tokarev

November 1, 2012 with many thanks to the Russia traveller, Dominique Maton, Berchem, Belgium

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Somwhere around 1990 the Belgian European Information Office changed her office address from rue d'Archimède to rue Joseph II no 99, Bussels. She used an change of address card with on one side  a lino-engraving of Europe.

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the bull appears to jump forward, making Europe leaning backwards just holding on. The engraving is from Onno Hesselink, 1967-.. at the request of Albert Michiels, Hoeilaart. Presently, the artist is Creative Director of LUON, Mechelen, Belgium

During the Dutch television show 'Kunst & Kitsch' a 18th century golden waist watch was shown. It appeared to be of British origin. An engraving on the inner cover mentions the name Gerrit Bramer. This was a Dutch clockmakers family of the 18th century with a shop in Amsterdam.

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 The outer cover figures an engraving of Europe after roccocco images. Somewhat strange is the parasol held by a maiden over  Europe's head. Apparently, a British interpretation of Europe's eastern origin with Indian connotations. A similar interpretation is found in the oil of Europe by Rembrandt at the Paul Getty Museum in Los Angelus (see my study p.151)

December 2012  with thanks to Maria & Jan Hoffmann