Fontana e Castello dell'Acqua Paola

Etching, circa 1720, signed at lower right with the imprint I. Wolff exc. Aug. Vind.

After Giovanni Battista Falda, Le Fontane di Roma, circa 1680. 

A fine impression, on contemporary laid paper, with margins, good condition. Rare.

Jeremias Wolff was a print publisher in Augsburg (fl.1686-1724). Originally a clock and automat maker; later turned print publisher, though never an engraver himself, and became the biggest Augsburg publisher of his day.

Plates inherited by his son-in-law, Johann Balthasar Probst, who married his only daughter. He published under the name 'Erben/Heredes Jeremias Wolff' 

He went to school in the Augsburg St. Anna Gymnasium and then learned to become a watchmaker. He never made his Master-title, but instead started to make automatons, till the Guild of the Watchmakers complainted and had the city-council forbid the making of these machines. Wollf then became 'Kunsthändler', which in this time meant, publisher of copper engravings and Einblätter. His oldest printing privilege dates from 1697.

Bibliografia

Benzing, Werner Schwarz, 'JW und seine Nachfolger' in 'Augsburger Buchdruck und Verlagswesen', ed. Helmut Gier & Johannes Janota, Wiesbaden 1997, pp.587-620.