Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Shabtai Tzvi and Nathan of Gaza – Two Early Engraved Portraits – Antwerp, 1671
Opening: $300
Sold for: $1,500
Including buyer's premium
Two early engraved portraits of the false messiah Shabtai Tzvi and his prophet Nathan of Gaza; from the fourth volume of Cornelius Hazart's Universal Church History (Kerckelycke Historie van de Gheheele Werelt), printed in Antwerp, 1761.
• Engraved portrait of Shabtai Tzvi, portrayed in a fine turban, bearded and wearing a magnificent button shirt, pointing at a line in an open book. The engraving has the printed Dutch inscription: "Sabetha Sebi – Vermeynden Messias der Ioden" ("Shabtai Tzvi – imagined messiah of the Jews"). The bottom right corner has the page number of the original book: "fol. 237".
Engraving after the famous portrait made in Amsterdam, 1669, printed in Thomas Coenen's Ydele Verwachtinge der Joden. This portrait is considered especially reliable, as it was made based on a sketch by a person who met Shabtai Tzvi in Izmir.
• Engraved portrait of Nathan of Gaza. The engraving depicts Nathan of Gaza in a long head covering, with one hand on an open book, with the other hand gesturing. At the bottom of the engraving is the Dutch inscription: "Nathan Levi van Gaza – Propheet van den Ioodschen Messias" ("Nathan Levi of Gaza – prophet of the Jewish messiah"). The bottom right corner has the page number of the original book (243).
Engravings: approx. 27 cm. Matted side by side. Approx. 37X43 cm. Fair-good condition. Marginal tears to engravings (at edge of attachment to mat).
See: Rubens, A Jewish Iconography (London, 1981), no. 2232 (Shabtai Tzvi) and no. 1463 (Nathan of Gaza).
Provenance: Mozes Heiman Gans.
Portraits – Prints, Photographs and Art
Portraits – Prints, Photographs and Art