Important German Gothic art collection, reproduced in watercolour by the collector himself

Soyter, Magnus, art collector (1806-1884). Collection of watercolour drawings with manuscript captions.

[Augsburg], 1849-1853.

(15) ff. 14 loose wove paper folio sheets and 1 loose wove paper bifolium. Large folio (55 x 35 cm). With 64 watercolours and manuscript captions on 15 leaves (each leaf drawn on one side only).

 18,000.00

Collection of impressive watercolour drawings after medieval art objects by Magnus Soyter, an Augsburg-based collector of German medieval art who prepared watercolours of the objects in his collection, adding captions in ink with information about the items depicted. Soyter was a highly skilled watercolourist, and his large reproduction drawings are exquisite. He is today best known for his collection of medieval knights' helmets that ended up in museum collections worldwide.

In 1871 there was an exhibition held in Augsburg of highlights from his collection. A catalogue was made of these objects by Albert Fidelis Butsch, entitled "Waffenstücke, Rüstungen, Kunstwerke & Geräthschaften des Mittelalters und der Renaissance. In einer Auswahl der schönsten Stücke aus der in den Räumlichkeiten des Historischen Vereins für Schwaben und Neuburg aufgestelten Sammlung des Particuliers J. M. Soyter". In 1874 a supplement was published at Augsburg that included 50 photographs of the objects. After Soyter's death his collection was auctioned off and a 51-page catalogue was published under the title "Auctions-Katalog der Antiqutäten-, Gemälde- und Geweih-Sammlung aus dem Nachlass von Magnus Soyter" (Augsburg, Butsch, 1884).

The objects displayed in these drawings are from Soyter's private collection, as the manuscript captions indicate. Many of these artifacts are now lost, making this the only record of some of these superb medieval German pieces.

Wholly untrimmed. In very good condition.