Simon Vallée's engraving, “St Jean Baptiste”, c1735

Simon Vallée (aka Simon de La Vallée; Simon Valée) (1680–c1730)

“St Jean Baptiste”, c1735 (1729–40), after Raphael, from the series, “Recueil d'estampes d'après les plus beaux tableaux et d'après les plus beaux desseins qui sont en France” (aka “Recueil Crozat”; “Cabinet Crozat”).

The Curator of the British Museum offers the following insight about this print:

“Engraved after the painting in the Musée du Louvre (Inv. 606). The attribution to Raphael is debated. While the design may be his, the execution is most likely the work of his workshop. See Dussler, 'Raphael: A Critical Catalogue', 1971, page 63 (design and execution: workshop of Raphael); and Jürg Meyer zur Capellen, 'Raphael: A Critical Catalogue of His Paintings', vol. II, 2005, cat. No.A12 (design: Raphael, execution: workshop).” (BM no. 1855,0609.93)

Engraving and etching on heavy laid paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 50.8 x 38.4 cm; (plate) 42.6 x 31 cm; (image borderline) 36.3 x 29.5 cm.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (centre) “St. Jean Baptiste / d'Après le Tableau de Raphaël, qui est dans le Cabinet du Roy. / haut de 4. pieds 4. pouces, large de 4. pieds 4. Pouces, peint sur toile, gravé par Simon Valée.”

Numbered on plate at lower right corner: “14”

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“St John the Baptist sits in the wilderness, wearing nothing but his animal skin; he sits astride a tree branch, holding a scroll in his right hand and pointing to his cross made from sticks, which has been tied to a branch; wilderness can be seen beyond; after Raphael.”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3158430&partId=1&searchText=Simon+Vall%25u00e9e+John+the+Baptist&page=1)

Condition: Richly inked, faultless impression with generous margins and backed with a support sheet of fine archival/millennium quality washi paper. There are closed fractures/tears at the upper right in the margin which have been addressed by the sheet having been backed with a support sheet; otherwise the sheet is in excellent condition with no stains, creases, abrasions or foxing.

I am selling this superb, museum-quality masterwork of engraving from the early 1700s for AU$280 (currently US$192.52/EUR171.71/GBP152.88at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this gloriously fine impression, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold