Adriaen Collaert (1560 - 1618) - Sea animals in a fantastical landscape

Pair of rare flemish 16th / 17th century engraving depicting fishes and other sea animals such as lobsters and crabs in front of a fantastical, elaborate landscape. This late 16th to early 17th century image drawn and engraved by Adriaen Collaert

Adriaen Collaert (c. 1560 – 29 June 1618) was a Flemish designer and engraver. The estimated year of his birth at Antwerp is between 1555 and 1565. According to the RKD in 1580 he became wijnmeester of the Guild of St. Luke. The title wijnmeester was reserved for sons of members, and he was the son of Jan Collaert I and Anna van der Heijden. He married Justa Galle, the daughter of the man he worked for, Philip Galle. He also worked for Gerard de Jode (where he made prints after Maerten de Vos), Eduard Hoeswinckel and Hans van Luyck. After having learnt the principles of the art in his own country, he visited Italy for improvement, where he passed some years. On his return to Flanders, he engraved a great number of plates, executed in a neatly finished style, but with a certain degree of dryness. He died at Antwerp in 1618. His drawing is correct, and his heads expressive. He sometimes marked his plates with a cipher. From 1593-94 he took on pupils and from 1589 he worked for Plantijn Moretus.

Each sheet measures ca. 19*12,5 cms, in good condition, as photographed