This image seems to have been created by combining elements from different sources, whether this was done by Daniel Preissler himself or was already combined in an unidentified pre-existing engraving we do not know. The background details of vistas and trees are typical Preissler workshop designs.

‘Penthesilée Reyne des Amazones’, From the series of ‘Famous women of antiquity’, Published by Nicolas Bonnart I after Robert Bonnart. France 1678-1700

The boldly baroque figures of the Amazons perhaps derive indirectly from engravings such as ‘Penthesilée Reyne des Amazones’, from the series of ‘Famous women of antiquity’, published by Nicolas Bonnart I after Robert Bonnart, in France c. 1678-1700. Similar equestrian figures appear in designs for Court festivities in France and Saxony.[i]

Marcantonio Raimondi of ‘Joseph and Potiphar’s wife’ after Raphael, c. 1515-25

The running figures in the foreground are more renaissance in style and have perhaps been adapted from a source such as the engraving of Marcantonio Raimondi of ‘Joseph and Potiphar’s wife’ after Raphael.

Condition:
small areas of stabilisation and retouching. The frame modern.

Provenance:

The picture was backed with newspaper pages from ‘The Philadelphia Inquirer’ of October 15, 1909 indicating that it had been in America from at least this date.

References:

Schnitzer & Hölscher 2000
Claudia Schnitzer and Petra Hölscher, Eine gute Figur machen – Kostüm und Fest am Dresdner Hof, (Kupferstich-Kabinett Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, 2000)

Literature:

Manners 2024
‘E & H Manners, ‘Decorators on Ceramics and Glass’, 2024, no. 10

Price: 25,000