Northern country, Late 18th, or 19th century. Small folio (14.3 x 8.5 cm). 64 pp. of blue wove paper, with 34 white laid paper cutouts, mounted. Marbled wrappers.

A very mysterious little album - hard to date, with deceivingly primitive-looking cutouts of hunters and wild animals, in particular deer (suggesting it comes from a temperate to subarctic northern hemisphere region). However, the makers were not just able to make an illustration, but, rather, to tell a whole story: dogs are attentive, hunters are running, deer are in fear.... What is absolutely striking about these works of art, is the ability of the artist to put true movement into these simple scenes. All are made of white laid paper, and mounted on blue paper. Much reminiscent of neolithic cave art, but the deer hunters have shotguns, and there is also one cutout of children playing jump rope. It seems that the booklet was filled starting on the right side, starting with a series of flower vases, then followed by hunting scenes, and various others, including one of a man on a horse cart. A few cut-outs are of a much less primitive quality, including one showing a hunt for wild boars. One leaf carries a short text, in ink, in an unknown language. Another leaf has some juvenile scribbling in pencil. Wrappers worn; corners creased, frayed; one cutout a bit damaged; otherwise very good.