Francesco Bartolozzi, “Mary with Child, Angels and Three Saints”, 1746, after Antonio Balestra

Francesco Bartolozzi (1728–1815)

“Mary with Child, Angels and Three Saints” (Rijksmuseum title) (aka “Three Saints of the Order of S. Dominic in Ecstasy before the Blessed Virgin”; Ex Tela quæ visitur in Templo Societatis Jesu Venetiis”; “La Vierge dans les Nues, avec l'Enfant Jésus adoré par Trois Saints de l'Ordre des Jésuites”), 1739/46 (pub.) 1760–80, after the painting of the same composition by Antonio Balestra (1666-1740), published in Venice by Joseph (Giuseppe) Wagner (aka Giuseppe Vagner) (1706–1786).

Etching and engraving on heavy laid paper trimmed slightly within the platemark (with loss of the plate number) and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 57.6 x 35.8 cm; (image borderline with uneven sides) 53 x 34.3 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Antonius Balestra Veronen^s Pinxit”; (centre) “Ex Tela quæ visitur in Templo Societatis Jesu Venetiis.”; “Franc.^us Bartolozzi Sculp. appo Wagner Venezia C.P.E.S.”

State iii? (of iii) Note that the states are determined by the plate number which has been trimmed off in this impression.

De Vesme (Bartolozzi) 300 (Alexandre de Vesme & Augusto Calabi, 1928, “Francesco Bartolozzi. Catalogue des estampes et notice biographique d'après les manuscrits de A. De Vesme entièrement réformés et complétés d'une étude critique par A. Calabi”, Milan, Guido Modiano. Milan, p. 64, cat. no. 300).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Three Jesuit Saints, the Holy Virgin and the infant Jesus; two Saints kneeling below to right, one receiving a lily from an angel which points upwards, where the third Saint kneels in the clouds, gazing at the infant Jesus in his arms, the Virgin sitting to left, smiling; cherubs grouped in lower left, with vine, lily, crowns and a book; after Balestra. 1760” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0808-2694).

The Rijksmuseum identifies the saints in the following description of this print:

(transl.) “Mary sits on a cloud carried by angels. Next to her sits on a cloud the Polish saint Stanislaus Kostka with the Christ Child in his arms. Kneeling on the floor are Saint Francis Borgia and Saint Louis Gonzaga. Putti in the foreground on the left” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.75375).

See also the description offered by the Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum Braunschweig: https://nat.museum-digital.de/index.php?t=objekt&oges=831871&cachesLoaded=true&navlang=tr.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate, trimmed slightly within the platemark and laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There is a restored tear on the left, otherwise the sheet is in very good condition with no significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this huge engraving exemplifying the Baroque period style for the total cost of AU$310 (currently US$225.10/EUR192.03/GBP163.82 at the time of posting 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 magnificently grand, rare and very beautiful engraving, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.