Lot Essay
The Mead Collection, almost forgotten now, was one of the most important private print collections of the late 19th century in the United States. Formed from 1860 on, it eventually comprised nearly six thousand prints, spanning five centuries of art history, from Dürer and Rembrandt to Kandinsky and Kollwitz, and contained many rare and fine impressions. Almost the entire collection was sold in 1916 to Herschel V. Jones and given to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, where it provided a core to the newly established graphic arts collection.
Only a few prints remained with the family, including the present one, which has not been on the market since William Mead Ladd acquired it in the 19th century.
Only a few prints remained with the family, including the present one, which has not been on the market since William Mead Ladd acquired it in the 19th century.