The Bohemian Eater | Gluttony glorified

The Bohemian Eater
Untitled engraving. [Np, but presumably Germany, ca. 1701]

Engraving (298 x 186 mm). Nearly full-page image of a man with a small mammal in his mouth, large cup in one hand, and a joint of meat in the other, text in German; mounted on paper, minor browning and staining. Matted, framed, and glazed; not examined out of frame.

A rare and graphic engraving.

This remarkable illustration is apparently of a man from Bohemia who travelled to villages in Austria and Germany, eating—to the amazement, and perhaps horror, of his spectators—a living cat (including its skin and fur), stones, cloth, raw meat, felt, pelts, glass, etc. While he might be satisfied by a whole calf at breakfast time, his hunger was indiscriminate and not long satiated. Indeed, "they say in Bohemia he also ate two small children." His twin brother, "the same great eater as he is, ate a live Jew in Prague. They captured him in the woods and now they exhibit him for money. During this exhibition they will let him swallow many strange things" (translated from the German).

REFERENCE:
Exemplars, p. 110

Condition Report:
Condition as described in catalogue entry.

In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.