[STONE EATER]. HOLLAR, Wenceslas (16070 -77). The True Portraiture of a Roman Youth ?. Circa 1641. Etched full-length portrait with engraved caption below the likeness describes the youth, Francesco Battalia, who was ?borne holding 3 little stones in one hand, and in the other 2?? and who was fed these stones by his parents, ?and read [red] wine which in 6 days space comes from him converted into sand?.? With a shorthand or ciphered caption written in ink below and beside the printing, and dated by hand Sept. 23 1642. Framed; sight 12 x 8? with ragged edges and foxing, but not examined out of frame. SCARCE.An early ? if not the first ? version of this portrait of the stone eater, which reproduced well in to the nineteenth century in the works of Caufield and Wilson.