Collectors' Exclusives: One-of-a-Kind Jan Luyken Engravings Return After Three Centuries
A rare collection of 17th-century engravings by Amsterdam artist Jan Luyken (1649–1712) is about to make its way into private collections once again. Holland Fine Arts has secured rights to a curated selection from The Mirror of Human Activities (Spiegel van het Menselyk Bedryf), Luyken’s 1694 masterpiece pairing depictions of trades with concise verse.
For centuries, this series has been preserved in major institutional collections as one of the most circulated works of the Dutch Golden Age. Now, through a limited Kickstarter release, collectors will have the chance to acquire museum-standard editions that restore the engravings to their original depth with period-appropriate hand coloring and archival presentation.
Each print is prepared on 100% cotton rag paper and hand-colored by Dutch artist Johannes Krane in the traditional 17th-century manner using lightfast watercolor and gouache. Because each piece is finished by hand, subtle variations in brushwork ensure that no two are exactly alike. Each edition is effectively a “new original,” offering a degree of individuality rarely available in historic art.
The inaugural release is conservation-framed to 16×20 inches, protected with UV-filtering glazing, museum-grade mats, and an acid-free backer. A brass title plate and full documentation, including plate references, a brief bibliography, and a signed Certificate of Authenticity, accompany each piece.
“This is not a reproduction for the masses,” said a representative from Holland Fine Arts. “It is a rare opportunity to live with a Dutch Golden Age engraving, prepared in the same spirit in which it was first issued over 300 years ago.”
With this release, Holland Fine Arts introduces a format that combines rarity, historical fidelity, and the individuality of hand-applied color, offering collectors the chance to own works that are both authentic to the past and unique in the present.
For more details and to support the campaign, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1299070630/holland-fine-arts-300-years-in-the-making?ref=9vpxqk
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