Original woodcut, on hand-made paper, from a Biblical emblem book: Bibliorum Utriusque Testamenti Icones… illustrated by Jost Amman – renowned designer for the Feyrabend publishing house.
Frankfurt: printed by Georgius Corvinus for Hieronymus Feyerabend, 1571. Verso: Blank. (130 x 90mm – 5 1/8 x 3 ½’’)
The graphic scene is from Ezekiel 1. Ezekiel looks up at the figure of a man representing the likeness of God on a heavenly chariot of fire. He sees four living creatures each with four faces (man, lion, ox and eagle) and each with a wheel which was actually two wheels in one allowing them to move in any direction. “And in the midst thereof the likeness of four living creatures…Every one had four faces, and every one four wings…there was the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the right side of all the four; and the face of an ox, on the left side of all four: and the face of an eagle over all four…” (Ezekiel 1: 5-10).
The scene is surrounded by an elaborate baroque strapwork border.
Jost Amman (born in Zurich 1539, died Nuremberg 1591) was an important Renaissance artist and engraver, best known for his expressive woodcut engravings. His workshop was established in Nuremberg in 1560 (Ref: Benezit).
Presented in an archival 14 x 11'' mat
