Carlo Cesio’s engraving, “Room with Stucco Ornaments”, c1661, after Pietro da Cortona

Carlo Cesio (1626-1686) (based on the attribution given by the British Museum; see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1937-0915-167).

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Note that I have reservations about the British Museum’s attribution of this unsigned print to Carlo Cesio.

“The Illustrated Bartsch” (1987) in its catalogue of Carlo Cesio’s works (vol. 47, p. 99 [TIB 4771]), reproduces Cesio’s print with difference and in the reverse direction. Consequently, I feel better proposing, that this engraving is by an unidentified printmaker from the circle of Carlo Cesio. Interestingly, Neal Auctions listed a different impression of this engraving in a group of three prints with the inscription: “Ann. Carache [sic] Pinxit/Fr. de Pouilly Scul.” (see the lowest image: https://www.nealauction.com/auction-lot/three-italian-or-french-figural-engravings_6D56DDC231). This inscription, however, is problematic, as Annibale Carracci (1560–1609) did not paint the ceiling; it was executed by Pietro da Cortona (aka Pietro Berrettini) (1597–1669). Moreover, with the anomalies in the spelling of the painter’s name, I also wonder about the spelling of the printmaker’s name, “Fr. de Pouilly”, as I am not familiar with this artist—unless it’s François de Poilly I (1622–1693) who is a marvellous printmaker and more than capable of executing this print (see the two prints by De Poilly that I have listed previously: https://www.printsandprinciples.com/search/label/Poilly%20I%20%28Fran%C3%A7ois%20de%29).

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“Room with Stucco Ornaments” (aka “Pièce avec des Ornemens de Stuc” [Bartsch title]; “Composition with Stucco Ornaments of a Man and Woman Viewed from the Rear” [TIB title]), c1661, from the series of eight plates (according to the BM, but sixteen plates according to TIB (see vol. 47 [Part 1], p. 99, cat. no. .071]), “Galleria dipinta nel Palazzo del Prencipe Panfilio ...”, after a section of the stucco work and fresco ceiling painted by Pietro da Cortona in the Galleria of the Palazzo Pamphili in Rome.

The Curator of the British Museum offers the following insights about this print: “One of eight plates […] from a rejected set of plates after the frescoes on the history of Aeneas painted by Pietro da Cortona on the ceiling of the Galleria of the Palazzo Pamphili in Piazza Navona in 1651-4” (BM inv. no. 1937,0915.167).

Engraving on laid paper with a French watermark of grapes with stem and crown (see an interesting discussion about this and related watermarks featuring grapes offered by the University of Michigan Library: https://blogs.lib.umich.edu/beyond-reading-room/watermark-wednesdays-grapes), with a flattened centrefold and small margins.

Size: (sheet) 38 x 55.5 cm; (plate) 36.5 x 54.5 cm.

Condition: a strong and well-printed early impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate, trimmed with small margins that are cropped on the corners. There are small tears to the margins and there is a pencil inscription verso, otherwise the sheet is in a good condition with no holes, abrasions or significant stains.

I am selling this large engraving showing a section of ceiling ornamentation featuring male and female figures in the manner of Michelangelo’s ignudi supporting an oval space, for the total cost of AU$298 (currently US$199.22/EUR183.01/GBP154.26 at the time of posting this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$298) as this is my currency.

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

Carlo Cesio, “Mercury Bringing the Golden Apple to Paris”, 1656/7, after Annibale Carracci

Carlo Cesio (aka Carlo Cesi) (1622–1682)

“Mercury Bringing the Golden Apple to Paris” (aka “Mercure apportant à Paris la pomme d’or”; “Mercurius brengt Paris de gouden appel”), 1656/7, Plate 3 from the series of 45 plates, “The Farnese Gallery Panels”, after a fresco by Annibale Carracci (1560–1609) in the Palazzo Farnese in Rome, initially published in Rome with the privilege of Pope Alexander VII by François Collignon (aka Louis François Collignon) (c.1610–1687). This impression was published by Arnold van Westerhout (1651–1725) (as inscribed in the plate).

Etching on heavy buff-coloured laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 39.1 x 27.4 cm; (platemark) 35.3 x 24.5 cm.

Lettered in plate along the lower edge: (left) “Ann. Caracci Inu.”; (left of centre) “C. Cesius del. et Sculp. Romæ.”; (right of centre) “Arnoldo Van Westerhout formis Cum Privi8l […].”; (right) “3.”

State ii (of iii) with the addition of the address for Westerhout, but before the number 3 is erased in state iii.

TIB 4705.023 S2 (Paolo Bellini [ed.] 1987, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Masters of the Seventeenth Century”, vol. 47 [Commentary, Part 1], New York, Abaris Books, p. 81 cat. no. [4705] .023 [S2]).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Plate 3: Mercury delivering the golden apple to Paris; Mercury seen flying over Paris, handing the golden apple over to him; the shepherd seen seated, holding a stick and with his hand open; a dog seen in the foreground to left; printed from an octagonal plate 1657/ Etching” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_A-3-6).

See also the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.595245.

Condition: a well-printed impression in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains.

I am selling this curious octagonal etching showing what I understand is the now extinct and formidable Molossian hound (aka Epirus mastiff) with an interesting fluffy curled tail echoing the curved end to the shepherd’s crook that Paris (for a reason that I don’t understand) is resting his right foot upon, for AU$301 in total (currently US$191.76/EUR180.56/GBP154.70 at the time of posting this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) 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 confidently executed etching with subtle messages of symbolism—note for example, the dead stump of a tree beside a living tree shown in the distance that may be a symbolic reference to the cycle of death and regeneration and the upside down shepherd’s crook that may be a symbolic biblical reference to the initial “J” and to Jesus Christ as the good shepherd (my apologies if my proposals are flawed)—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy. 

Carlo Cesio's etching, “The Assumption of the Virgin with Angels Holding Her Crown”, 1680

Carlo Cesio (aka Carlo Cesi)(1622–1682)

“The Assumption of the Virgin with Angels Holding Her Crown” (TIB title) (La Ste. Vierge assise sur un nuage), 1680, Plate 1 from the series of eight plates, “The Assumption of the Virgin (aka “La Cuppola del Cavalier Gio. Lanfranco, dipinta in Roma, nella chiesa di S. Andrea della Valle” [BM title]), after a portion of the frescoed dome of S. Andrea della Valle (Rome) (1625–1627) painted by Giovanni Lanfranco (1582–1647), published by Giovanni Giacomo de' Rossi (aka Jo Jacobus de Rubeis; Giovanni Jacomo de' Rossi) (1627–1691) in Rome with Papal privilege (1691).

Etching on laid paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 59 x 34 cm; (plate) 56 x 29 cm.

Lettered on plate: (upper left) “Carolus Cæsi..[o]. delinit et sculit./ LA CVPPOLA del Caualier Gio. Lan:/ franco, dipinta in Roma, nella Chiesa/ di S.Andrea della Valle, disegnata, et/ intagliata da Carlo Cesio, e di/ nuouoi data in luce con direttione,/ e cura da Gio. Giacomo Rossi,/ dalle sue stampe in Roma, all Pace, 1680, con/ Priuil. del S. Pontefice/ concesso l’Anno 1691.” (transl. “drawn and carved by Carlo Cesio, and again given light with direction and care by Gio. Giacomo Rossi, from his prints in Rome, to Pace, 1680, with Privil. of the Holy Pontiff granted the Year 1691”; (upper right corner with Roman numeral) “I”; (lower left corner with Arabic numeral) “1”; (lower centre edge) “Jo. Lanfranco pinxt.”

State iii (of iii) with the Papal privilege added and burin strengthening of the name of Carlo Cesio.

TIB 47 (21). 4 (105) S3 (Paolo Bellini 1983, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Masters of the Seventeenth Century”, vol. 47, p. 35, cat. no. 4; see also the commentary volume for vol. 47, Part 1, p. 73, cat. no. .004 S3); Bartsch XXI.105.4

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Plate 1: the Virgin seated on clouds among cherubs, with arms raised upwards”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3229768&partId=1&searchText=Carlo+Cesio&page=1)

Condition: richly inked, strong—near faultless—impression in very good condition for its considerable age (i.e there are no tears, holes, foxing or significant stains, but there is a flattened centrefold—as published?—and the margins have handling marks). The sheet is laid upon an archival support of (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this exceptionally rare and large etching in a museum-quality condition capturing in Cesio’s bold lines the proto-Baroque style of painting (in the manner of Correggio) that made Lanfranco famous, for the total cost of AU$322 (currently US$216.89/EUR197.31/GBP178.37 at 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 graphic translation of a fresco that not only flattens the curved surface of the original painting, but also convincingly shows the portrayed figures so that they appear to float in space above the viewer, 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

Carlo Cesio's etching, “Composition with Stucco Ornaments of a Man and Woman”, c1661

Carlo Cesio (aka Carlo Cesi) (BM: 1622–1682; TIB: 1626–1686);

or an unidentified artist after Cesio

“Composition with Stucco Ornaments of a Man and Woman” (TIB title), c1661, from the first series of eight plates (before the later published series of sixteen plates in reverse), “Galleria dipinta nel Palazzo del Prencipe Panfilio ...” (aka “The Ceiling of the Pamfili Palace”), after the ceiling frescoes of Pietro da Cortona (aka Pietro Berrettini) (1597–1669).

Regarding the two series, the Curator of the British Museum advises:

“…[the series is] after the frescoes on the history of Aeneas painted by Pietro da Cortona on the ceiling of the Galleria of the Palazzo Pamphili in Piazza Navona in 1651-4. The plates were commissioned directly from Cesio (a pupil of Cortona) by Prince Camillo Pamphili, and a payment was made to him on 29 January 1661 (hence the date assigned to the series here). …

The set of 16 plates was later published by the Rossi, and this edition is described by Bartsch (XXI.114.65 to 80: see also the TIB Commentary volume by Paolo Bellini; this edition is known in an earlier version before numbers and the Rossi address …. The eight plates in the BM, however, are not the same as this edition as all are in reverse to the frescoes, whereas the Rossi version shows the plates in the correct same direction as on the ceiling. Although very similar indeed to the published edition, the lettering on this dedication plate, which is in the correct direction and differently laid out, proves that we are not dealing with counterproofs, but with a second set of plates that to the best of my knowledge has not yet been described or published.” (BM no. 1937,0915.163)

Etching on laid paper trimmed slightly within the plate mark on the lower edge and with small margins on the other sides, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet trimmed unevely) 37.5 x 50 cm.

Lifetime impression (based on the crisp quality of the lines showing no sign of wear to the plate).

Bartsch XXI.117.74 (first version); for the second version in reverse see: TIB 47(21). 74(117)

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“One of the pairs of male and female ignudi on the side flanking the two ovals on the ceiling of the gallery; after one of the frescoes by Pietro da Cortona on the ceiling of the Galleria of the Palazzo Pamphili in Rome.”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3269133&partId=1&people=129673&peoA=129673-2-60&page=1)

Condition: richly inked and well-printed impression with a minor ink smudge (from the printing process and not a later stain) at the upper right corner, trimmed along (or slightly within) the plate mark along the lower edge and backed with a support sheet of fine archival/millennium quality washi paper. The sheet has flattened folds and some tears along the folds, and shows signs of use (i.e. the sheet is slightly patinated with marks of its age), otherwise the sheet is in good condition for its considerable age (i.e. there are no holes, abrasions, significant stains or foxing).

I am selling this large and exceptionally rare engraving, for the total cost of AU$300 (currently US$209.02/EUR184.83/GBP164.98) 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 visually stunning etching, 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