Art

A superb pair of sixteenth-century engravings showing hunting and fishing scenes. The Flemish artist Jan van der Straet (1523-1605; otherwise known as Stradanus, or Giovanni Stradano) was born at Bruges and trained there and at Antwerp. He established himself in Florence about 1550. There he was employed as a designer of tapestries for the "Fabbrica degli Arazzi" which Cosimo de Medici had founded. Between 1550 and 1553 he executed works for the Vatican with the help of Francesco Salviati, who became a great influence on his style. He worked in Florence with Giorgio Vasari designing tapestries and frescoes depicting hunting scenes for Cosimo's villa at Poggio a Caiana near Florence. Pair of engravings by Hans Collaert after Van der Straet. Uncoloured. Fine condition. In gold leaf frames. Each size: 29.5 x 21.5 cm (11½ x 8½ ins). Framed sizes: 43 x 35cm.