Portrait of Matthias Buchinger Surrounded by Thirteen Vignettes

As Ricky Jay notes, “Buchinger exhibited an astonishing variety of skills. His talents were enumerated and illustrated perhaps as early as 1709, and certainly by 1710, in an undated souvenir print . . . this print was likely sold at his performances.” Here, the central portrait of Buchinger, shown in almost the same costume as the anonymous portrait displayed nearby, is surrounded by thirteen vignettes that show and tell (in German) his many skills. These skills, which range from the mundane to the remarkable, include shaving himself, making a quill pen, performing cups and balls, drawing, threading a needle, playing musical instruments, playing cards, and skittles, a form of bowling. Jay believes the bottom margin is “left deliberately capacious” to “accommodate personalizing the print for purchasers with his autograph and various calligraphic flourishes.”