Sheet of uncut, uncoloured woodcut playing cards, German, 17th century: P.14635-R

Titles

Sheet of uncut, uncoloured woodcut playing cards, German, 17th century

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Unknown
Publisher: Hauck, Heinrich

Entities

• Playing card

Categories

• Print

Description

Sheet (fragment) of 16 uncut playing cards, arranged in four rows of four cards, uncoloured woodcuts laid down on a secondary support of mount board (height 410mm x width 275mm). A second sheet of woodcuts for the design of the backs of the cards, a repeated pattern of diamonds containing a star motif, is laid down on the verso of the board. A mixture of court cards and number cards with the suits represented being, Hearts (Herzen), Bells (Schellen), Leaves (Laub) and Acorns (Eicheln). The cards represented indicate that this sheet of 16 cards would have been added to another sheet of 16 to make the full pack of 32 cards containing ranks 7, 8, 9, 10, Under Knave (Unter), Over Knave (Ober), King (König), and Ace (Ass). Top row, from left to right: Jack of Hearts, with upper body missing due to the loss of the upper left corner of the sheet. The suit symbol is located below the figure at lower right, indicating the styling as 'Unter'; Jack of Bells, figure dressed as a Fool with bells on his costume and holding a musical instrument in his right hand. The suit symbol is located below the figure at lower right, indicating the styling as 'Unter'; Jack of Acorns, bearded figure wearing ruff and short cloak. The suit symbol is located below the figure at lower left, indicating the styling as 'Unter'; Ace of Hearts, large heart with inscribed scroll above: 'NIT.GWIS.' [abbr. 'nicht gewiss'? trans. 'certainly not?']. Second row, from left to right: Ten of Hearts, a seated female figure wearing a ruff, facing left and holding a banner on a pole emblazoned with a large heart, a roman numeral 'X' at upper right; King of Leaves, seated on a throne, wearing a crown and holding a sceptre in his right hand, left hand raised in blessing; Ten of Bells, a seated female figure, facing left and holding a banner on a pole emblazoned with a large bell, a roman numeral 'X' at upper right; Eight of Hearts, two rows of four hearts with a shield below bearing the coat of arms of Frankfurt, which features the imperial eagle with 'F' at the centre and 'F' and 'K' to left and right. The publisher's name, 'HEINRICH. HAUCK' printed below the shield. Third row, from left to right: King of Acorns, a bearded figure seated on a throne, wearing a crown and collar of ermine, a sceptre in his left hand; Ten of Acorns, a seated female figure wearing a ruff, facing right and holding a banner on a pole emblazoned with a large acorn, a roman numeral 'X' at upper left; King of Hearts, a bearded figure seated on a throne facing right, a sword in his right hand and orb in his left. A shield containing the imperial eagle above and a large heart at upper right; Nine of Hearts, three groups of three hearts arranged vertically, a stylised dog (courant) below. Fourth row, from left to right: Jack of Leaves, a standing male figure wearing a short cloak trimmed with fur and ruff. The suit symbol is located above the figure at upper left, indicating the styling as 'Ober'; Jack of Acorns, a male figure wearing an Ottoman-style turban and robe, holding a sceptre in his right hand. The suit symbol is located above the figure at upper right, indicating the styling as 'Ober'; Jack of Bells, a male figure dressed as a Fool with bells on his costume and playing pipes. The suit symbol is located above the figure at upper left, indicating the styling as 'Ober'; Ace of Leaves, large leaf with inscribed scroll above: 'NIT.GWIS.' [abbr. 'nicht gewiss'? trans. 'certainly not?'].

Legal notes

Unknown