Two Old Coloured Engravings "spring And Winter" After Antonio Tempesta.

A pair of antique engravings depicting Spring and Winter, scenes of rural life belonging to the iconographic tradition of the Seasons, widely disseminated in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. These prints are after Antonio Tempesta (1555-1630), a Florentine artist renowned for his engraved compositions representing hunting scenes, landscapes, and scenes of everyday life. The plates are printed on handmade laid paper, the laid lines of which are visible in the light, confirming their early production. The engravings are enhanced with an early watercolor technique, a common practice for these prints intended for collectors' collections. The engraving Winter bears the inscription A. Tempesta in the plate. The engraving Spring features the caption: "It is then that the plants gain their vigor." On the reverse of one of the sheets is an old handwritten text, probably 18th century, suggesting provenance from an old collection or scholar's collection. A coherent set of two seasons from the same series, late 17th century, Louis XIV period. Good overall condition considering its age: traces of previous mounting, minor foxing, and visible creases. A beautiful decorative and historical set illustrating the tradition of early European prints depicting the Seasons.