Twee engeltjes aan weerszijden van twee spelende honden
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
86; 48
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Prent uit serie van zes prenten met Friezen met kinderen, engeltjes en dieren. Hollstein beschrijft deze serie twee keer onder de nrs. 142-147 en 268-273.
Art Historical Context
**Twee engeltjes aanerszijden van tweeende honden** (Two Little Angels on Either Side of Two Playing), created by Dutch engraver Nicolaes deyn in 1617, is a delicate engraving measuring just 48mm high by 86mm wide. This print captures a whimsical scene of two cherubic angels flanking a pair of frolicking dogs, blending heavenly innocence with earthly playfulness. De Bruyn active during the early Dutch Golden Age, was renowned for his intricate reproductive engravings that brought elaborate designs to a wider audience through affordable prints. Part of a rare series of six prints featuring Frisians—people from the northern Netherlands region—alongside children, angels, and animals, this work reflects the period's fascination with pastoral and allegorical themes. Cataloged prominently in Hollstein's authoritative Dutch and Flemish etchings reference under numbers 142-147 and 268-273, it underscores the artwork's recognition among print scholars. Engraving allowed de Bruyn to achieve fine lines and textures in such a tiny format, making it a masterful example of technical precision ideal for collectors' albums. This charming piece invites us to marvel at 17th-century Netherlandish whimsy, where angels and animals coexist in harmonious delight, evoking the era's blend of religious symbolism and everyday joy. A perfect gem for close inspection!
About the Artist
Nicolaes de Bruyn · 1571–1656
Nicolaes de Bruyn was a Flemish printmaker born in Antwerp in 1571, active during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries and known primarily for his large, elaborately detailed engravings of landscapes, hunting scenes, and biblical and mythological subjects. He trained in the tradition of Flemish reproductive engraving and was deeply influenced by the work of his contemporaries and pre...