The Four Elements

Date: ca. 1622
Medium: Etchings mounted on nineteenth-century musical manuscript
Dimensions: Earth: 184 x 275 mm. 7 1/4 x 10 7/8 in. Air: 182 x 277 mm. 7 1/8 x 10 7/8 in. Fire: 180 x 286 mm. 7 1/8 x 11 1/4 in. Water: 182 x 280 mm. 7 1/8 x 11 in. 
References: Franken and Van der Kellen 134-137, first of four states; Hollstein 18-21, all first state (Hollstein 18, the first state of four, Hollstein 19, the first of three, Hollstein 20, the first of five, Hollstein 21, the first of four)
Signature: Signed in the plate "J.V. Velde fec. et excud" lower right on Air, Fire, and Water, and lower left on Earth
Annotation: Each titled and captioned lower center
Provenance: John Evelyn (1620-1706, England); by descent to J.H.C. Evelyn and Major Peter Evelyn (England);  Estates of the same; Christie's London, June 29, 1977, lot 18; 1977 to David Tunick, Inc.
Impression: Very, very fine. A very early, consistent and uniform set, apparently together since printing. Strikingly rich contrasts throughout
Condition: Excellent; no rubbing in the darkly inked areas, scattered minor defects; mounted on paper with eighteenth or nineteenth-century musical manuscript verso; fox marks visible on Earth and Water; all four prints with narrow margins