A fine impression of this rare print, in the third state of three, printing with light plate tone and with the scratches on the plate still visible. Pulled on paper with watermark Grapes (Griffiths-Hartley 2), with good margins, in fine condition.

The print belongs to a series of four sheets, depicting female figures. These graceful gardeners testify the taste and the tradition of the late '500 and early '600 of representing the various trades and occupations of life. According to the most recent literature, (Griffiths-Hartley, p. 113), the artist, beyond the tradition and inspired by the ancient world, reaches highly refined effects. Our hortulana, with her elegant gait, announces the world of the court festivals. Wearing stylish shoes, she carries on her head a basin which evokes the Mannerism and the taste of the Fontainebleau school.

References
Alexandre-Pierre François Robert-Dumesnil, Le Peintre-graveur français, ou catalogue raisonné des stampe gravée par les peintres et les dessinateurs de l’école française, vol. V, Paris, 1841, pp. 91- 97 and vol. 11, Paris 1871, pp. 9-12
Nicole Walch, Die Radierungen des Jacques Bellange. Chronologie und kritischer Katalog, München, 1971
Amy N. Worthen-Sue Welsh Reed, The Etchings of Jacques Bellange, catalogue of the exhibition, Des Moines Art Center - Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Boston, 1975
Ger Luiten, La Bella Maniera. Druckgraphik des Manierismus aus Sammlung Georg Baselitz, Bern-Berlin, 1994, pp. 251-265
Paulette Choné, Jacques Bellange, in Allgemeines Künstler Lexikon, vol. 8, München - Leipzig, 1994, pp. 434-437
Antony Griffiths-Craig Hartley, Jacques Bellange, ca. 1575-1616. Printmaker of Lorraine, catalogue of the exhibition, British Museum, London, 1997
Rainer Michael Mason Le Beau Style, 1520-1620. Gravures maniéristes de la collection Georg Baseliz, Köln, 2001, pp. 260-269
Jacques Thuillier, Jacques Bellange, catalogue of the exhibition, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rennes, 2001