Saturday, November 17, 2012

Art for Ape Sake

A suite of anthropomorphic engravings
from 1635 by Quirin Boel & David Teniers


2 monkeys with a monkey-filled globe of the world
Twee apen houden een wereldbol
Two monkeys holding a globe



Twee apen maken muziek, Quirin Boel, 1635
Twee apen maken muziek
Two monkeys making music



Twee apen spelen triktrak, Quirin Boel, 1635
Twee apen spelen triktrak
Two monkeys playing backgammon



Twee apen kaarten, Quirin Boel, 1635
Twee apen kaarten
Two monkeys playing cards


Twee apen roken pijp, Quirin Boel, 1635
Twee apen roken pijp
Two monkeys smoking a pipe



Twee apen eten oesters, Quirin Boel, 1635
Twee apen eten oesters
Two monkeys eating oysters



Een aap legt een verband aan, Quirin Boel, 1635
Een aap legt een verband aan
Two monkeys: one heating a compound; the other applying a dressing (?)


This small print series is called 'Verschillende Bedrijven uit het Menselijke Leven Door Apen Voorgesteld' [approx: Various episodes of human life performed by monkeys] from designs by the Flemish painter David Teniers.

The engravings were executed by (or after) Quirin Boel (or Coryn Bol). The series is dated 1635 which would make Boel 15 years old at the time of publication. I'm not saying it's impossible, and the prints are certainly less sophisticated than his later engraving work, but I would have presumed Boel's date of birth or the printing date (or both) is/are inaccurate. Alternatively, 1635 is the date the designs were conceived; it's a little ambiguous to me and of passing interest in the great scheme. It simply caught my attention because it's a fun set of parodic/comical figures.

The series was found via the newly revamped Rijksmusem, in particular the API service and specifically through the Arkyves ICONCLASS search database that uses the API. All this means is that there are now many and varied ways to sample or store digitised material or build applications on the massive holdings of the Rijksmuseum. Thanks very much to Charley of Lines and Colors for the heads up.

Rijksmuseum hompage.

[Addit. for the record, I've used a variation on that title pun before: I'm nothing if not lazy consistent: Heart for Art's Sake.]

2 comments :

H. Doug Matsuoka said...

Funny. Reminds me of this by Japanese artist Shibata Zeshin:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hdoug/8201803856/in/photostream

Lynne Rutter said...

these are no mere apes, clearly they are minkees!

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